EXHIBIT 1.01

 
                              ____________Shares

                             INSYNC SYSTEMS, INC.

                                 Common Stock

                               ($.01 Par Value)

                            UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
                            ----------------------

                                                       __________________, 19___

BT Alex. Brown Incorporated
Paine Webber, Inc.
Prudential Securities Inc.
As Representatives of the
  Several Underwriters
c/o BT Alex. Brown Incorporated
One South Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Gentlemen:

          Insync Systems, Inc., a California corporation (the "Company"), and
certain shareholders of the Company (the "Selling Shareholders') propose to sell
to the several underwriters (the "Underwriters") named in Schedule I hereto for
whom you are acting as representatives (the "Representatives") an aggregate of
_________ shares of the Company's Common Stock, $.01 par value (the "Firm
Shares"), of which ________ shares will be sold by the Company and ________
shares will be sold by the Selling Shareholders.  The respective amounts of the
Firm Shares to be so purchased by the several Underwriters are set forth
opposite their names in Schedule I hereto, and the respective amounts to be sold
by the Selling Shareholders are set forth opposite their names in Schedule II
hereto.  The Company and the Selling Shareholders are sometimes referred to
herein collectively as the "Sellers."  The Company [and] [the] [certain] Selling
Shareholders] also propose[s] to sell at the Underwriters' option an aggregate
of up to _______ additional shares of the Company's Common Stock (the "Option
Shares") as set forth below.

          As the Representatives, you have advised the Company and the Selling
Shareholders (a) that you are authorized to enter into this Agreement on behalf
of the several Underwriters, and (b) that the several Underwriters are willing,
acting severally and not jointly, to purchase the numbers of Firm Shares set
forth opposite their respective names in Schedule I, plus their pro rata portion
of the Option Shares if you elect to exercise the over-allotment option in whole
or in part for the accounts of the several Underwriters.  The Firm Shares and
the Option 

 
Shares (to the extent the aforementioned option is exercised) are herein
collectively called the "Shares."

          In consideration of the mutual agreements contained herein and of the
interest of the parties in the transactions contemplated hereby, the parties
hereto agree as follows:

     1.   Representations and Warranties of the Company and the Selling
          -------------------------------------------------------------
Shareholders.
- ------------

          (a) The Company represents and warrants to each of the Underwriters as
follows:

               (i)     A registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-
_______) with respect to the Shares has been carefully prepared by the Company
in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the "Act"), and the Rules and Regulations (the "Rules and Regulations") of the
Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") thereunder and has been
filed with the Commission. The Company has complied with the conditions for the
use of Form S-1. Copies of such registration statement, including any amendments
thereto, the preliminary prospectuses (meeting the requirements of the Rules and
Regulations) contained therein and the exhibits, financial statements and
schedules, as finally amended and revised, have heretofore been delivered by the
Company to you. Such registration statement, together with any registration
statement filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 462(b) of the Act, herein
referred to as the "Registration Statement," which shall be deemed to include
all information omitted therefrom in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in
the Prospectus referred to below, has become effective under the Act and no 
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed as of the
date of this Agreement. "Prospectus" means (a) the form of prospectus first
filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) or (b) the last preliminary
prospectus included in the Registration Statement filed prior to the time it
becomes effective or filed pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act that is
delivered by the Company to the Underwriters for delivery to purchasers of the
Shares, together with the term sheet or abbreviated term sheet filed with the
Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(7) under the Act. Each preliminary prospectus
included in the Registration Statement prior to the time it becomes effective is
herein referred to as a "Preliminary Prospectus."

               (ii)    The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
California, with corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties
and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement. Each of the
subsidiaries of the Company as listed in Exhibit A hereto (collectively, the
"Subsidiaries") has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation
in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement. The Subsidiaries are the
only subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Company. The Company and each of
the Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in
which the conduct of their business requires such qualification. The outstanding
shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized
and validly issued, are fully

                                       2

 
paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company or another Subsidiary free
and clear of all liens, encumbrances and equities and claims; and no options,
warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue
or other rights to convert any obligations into shares of capital stock or
ownership interests in the Subsidiaries are outstanding.

               (iii)   The outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company,
including all shares to be sold by the Selling Shareholders, have been duly
authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; the portion
of the Shares to be issued and sold by the Company have been duly authorized and
when issued and paid for as contemplated herein will be validly issued, fully
paid and non-assessable; and no preemptive rights of stockholders exist with
respect to any of the Shares or the issue and sale thereof.  Neither the filing
of the Registration Statement nor the offering or sale of the Shares as
contemplated by this Agreement gives rise to any rights, other than those which
have been waived or satisfied, for or relating to the registration of any shares
of Common Stock.

               (iv)    The information set forth under the caption
"Capitalization" in the Prospectus is true and correct. All of the Shares
conform to the description thereof contained in the Registration Statement. The
form of certificates for the Shares conforms to the corporate law of the
jurisdiction of the Company's incorporation.

               (v)     The Commission has not issued an order preventing or
suspending the use of any Prospectus relating to the proposed offering of the
Shares nor instituted proceedings for that purpose. The Registration Statement
contains, and the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto will
contain, all statements which are required to be stated therein by, and will
conform, to the requirements of the Act and the Rules and Regulations. The
Registration Statement and any amendment thereto do not contain, and will not
contain, any untrue statement of a material fact and do not omit, and will not
omit, to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to
make the statements therein not misleading. The Prospectus and any amendments
and supplements thereto do not contain, and will not contain, any untrue
statement of material fact; and do not omit, and will not omit, to state any
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
misleading; provided, however, that the Company makes no representations or
warranties as to information contained in or omitted from the Registration
Statement or the Prospectus, or any such amendment or supplement, in reliance
upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the Company by or
on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives, specifically for use
in the preparation thereof.

               (vi)    The consolidated financial statements of the Company and
the Subsidiaries, together with related notes and schedules as set forth in the
Registration Statement, present fairly the financial position and the results of
operations and cash flows of the Company and the consolidated Subsidiaries, at
the indicated dates and for the indicated periods. Such financial statements and
related schedules have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
principles of accounting, consistently applied throughout the periods involved,
except as disclosed herein, and all adjustments necessary for a fair
presentation of results for such periods have been made. The summary financial
and statistical data included in the Registration 

                                       3

 
Statement presents fairly the information shown therein and such data has been
compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein
and the books and records of the Company. The pro forma financial statements and
other pro forma financial information included in the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared
in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines with respect to pro
forma financial statements, have been properly compiled on the pro forma bases
described therein, and, in the opinion of the Company, the assumptions used in
the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are
appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances referred to
therein.

               (vii)   Deloitte & Touche, LLP, who have certified certain of the
financial statements filed with the Commission as part of the Registration
Statement, are independent public accountants are required by the Act and the
Rules and Regulations.

               (viii)  There is no action, suit, claim or proceeding pending or,
to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against the Company or any of the
Subsidiaries before any court or administrative agency or otherwise which if
determined adversely to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries might result in
any material adverse change in the earnings, business, management, properties,
assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of
the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole or to prevent the consummation
of the transactions contemplated hereby, except as set forth in the Registration
Statement.

               (ix)    The Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable
title to all of the properties and assets reflected in the financial statements
(or as described in the Registration Statement) hereinabove described, subject
to no lien, mortgage, pledge, charge or encumbrance of any kind except those
reflected in such financial statements (or as described in the Registration
Statement) or which are not material in amount. The Company and the Subsidiaries
occupy their leased properties under valid and binding leases conforming in all
material respects to the description thereof set forth in the Registration
Statement.

               (x)     The Company and the Subsidiaries have filed all Federal,
State, local and foreign income tax returns which have been required to be filed
and have paid all taxes indicated by said returns and all assessments received
by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due. All tax
liabilities have been adequately provided for in the financial statements of the
Company.

               (xi)    Since the respective dates as of which information is
given in the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or supplemented, there
has not been any material adverse change or any development involving a
prospective material adverse change in or affecting the earnings, business,
management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise), or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole,
whether or not occurring in the ordinary course of business, and there has not
been any material transaction entered into or any material transaction that is
probable of being entered into by the Company or the Subsidiaries, other than
transactions in the ordinary course of business and changes and transactions
described in the Registration Statement, as it may be amended or 

                                       4

 
supplemented. The Company and the Subsidiaries have no material contingent
obligations which are not disclosed in the Company's financial statements which
are included in the Registration Statement.

               (xii)   Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is or
with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both, will be, in violation of or
in default under its Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws or under any
agreement, lease, contract, indenture or other instrument or obligation to which
it is a party or by which it, or any of its properties, is bound and which
default is of material significance in respect of the condition, financial or
otherwise of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the business,
management, properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or
otherwise) or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole.
The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions herein contemplated and the fulfillment of the terms hereof will
not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other
agreement or instrument to which the Company or any Subsidiary is a party, or of
the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any order, rule or
regulation applicable to the Company or any Subsidiary of any court or of any
regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having
jurisdiction.

               (xiii)  Each approval, consent, order, authorization,
designation, declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or
other governmental body necessary in connection with the execution and delivery
by the Company of this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein
contemplated (except such additional steps as may be required by the Commission,
the National Association of Securities, Inc. (the "NASD") or such additional
steps as may be necessary to qualify the Shares for public offering by the
Underwriters under state securities or Blue Sky laws) has been obtained or made
and is in full force and effect.

               (xiv)   The Company and each of the Subsidiaries holds all
material license, certificates and permits from governmental authorities which
are necessary to the conduct of their businesses; and neither the Company nor
any of the Subsidiaries has infringed any patents, patent rights, trade names,
trademarks or copyrights, which infringement is material to the business of the
Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

               (xv)    The Company and each of the Subsidiaries own, or are
licensed or otherwise have the full exclusive right to use all patents, patent
rights, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, mask work rights,
technology, licenses, inventions, trade secrets, know-how and other intellectual
property rights ("Intellectual Property") necessary to conduct the business now
or proposed to be conducted by the Company and each of the Subsidiaries as
described in the Prospectus, and, except as disclosed in the Prospectus, neither
the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement
of or conflict with (or knows of such infringement of or conflict with) asserted
rights of others with respect to the Intellectual Property, and, except as
disclosed in the Prospectus and to the knowledge of the Company and each of its
Subsidiaries, do not in the conduct of their business as now or proposed to be

                                       5

 
conducted as described in the Prospectus, infringe or conflict with any
Intellectual Property of any third party, or any discovery, invention, product
or process which is the subject of a patent application filed by any thirty
party, known to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries.

               (xvi)   Neither the Company, nor to the Company's best knowledge,
any of its affiliates, has taken or may take, directly or indirectly, any action
designed to cause or result in, or which has constituted or which might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of the shares of Common Stock to facilitate the sale or resale of the
Shares.  The Company acknowledges that the Underwriters may engage in passive
market making transactions in the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market in
accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act").

               (xvii)  Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is an "investment
company" within the meaning of such term under the Investment Company Act of
1940 and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

               (xviii) The Company maintains a system of internal accounting
controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurances that (i) transactions are
executed in accordance with management's general or specific authorization; (ii)
transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and to
maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in
accordance with management's general or specific authorization; and (iv) the
recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at
reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any
differences.

               (xix)   The Company and each of its Subsidiaries carry, or are
covered by, insurance in such amounts and covering such risks as is adequate for
the conduct of their respective businesses and the value of their respective
properties and as is customary for companies engaged in similar industries.

               (xx)    The Company is in compliance in all material respects
with all presently applicable provisions of the Employee Retirement Income
Security Act of 1974, as amended, including the regulations and published
interpretations thereunder ("ERISA"); no "reportable event" (as defined in
ERISA) has occurred with respect to any "pension plan" (as defined in ERISA) for
which the Company would have any liability; the Company has not incurred and
does not expect to incur liability under (i) Title IV of ERISA with respect to
termination of, or withdrawal from, any "pension plan" or (ii) Sections 412 or
4971 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, including the regulations
and published interpretations thereunder (the "Code"); and each "pension plan"
for which the Company would have any liability that is intended to be qualified
under Section 401(a) of the Code is so qualified in all material respects and
nothing has occurred, whether by action or by failure to act, which would cause
the loss of such qualification.

               (xxi)   The Company confirms as of the date hereof that it is in
compliance with all provisions of Section 1 of Laws of Florida, Chapter 92-198,
An Act Relating to Disclosure of doing Business with Cuba, and the Company
- ---------------------------------------------------------                 
further agrees that if it commences 

                                       6

 
engaging in business with the government of Cuba or with any person or affiliate
located in Cuba after the date the Registration Statement becomes or has become
effective with the Commission or with the Florida Department of Banking and
Finance (the "Department"), whichever date is later, or if the information
reported or incorporated by reference in the Prospectus, if any, concerning the
Company's business with Cuba or with any person or affiliate located in Cuba
changes in any material way, the Company will provide the Department notice of
such business or change, as appropriate, in a form acceptable to the Department.

               (xxii)  The Company and each of its Subsidiaries (i) are in
compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws
and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the
environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or
contaminants ("Environmental Laws"), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or
other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct
their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and
conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such
noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits,
licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions
of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate,
have a material adverse effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole.

               (xxiii) No material labor dispute with employees of the Company
or any of its Subsidiaries exists or to the knowledge of the Company is
imminent, and, without conducting any independent investigation, the Company is
not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the
employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that
could result in any material adverse change in the condition, financial or
otherwise, the earnings, the business or operations of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

          (b)  Each of the Selling Shareholders severally represents and
warrants as follows:

                    (i)    Such Selling Shareholder now has and at the Closing
Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be (as such dates are
hereinafter defined) will have good and marketable title to the Firm Shares and
the Option Shares to be sold by such Selling Shareholder, free and clear of any
liens, encumbrances, equities and claims, and full right, power and authority to
effect the sale and delivery of such Firm Shares and Option Shares; and upon the
delivery of, against payment for, such Firm Shares and Option Shares pursuant to
this Agreement, the Underwriters will acquire good and marketable title thereto,
free and clear of any liens, encumbrances, equities and claims.

                    (ii)   Such Selling Shareholder has full right, power and
authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Power of Attorney, and the
Custodian Agreement referred to below and to perform its obligations under such
Agreements. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the consummation by
such Selling Shareholder of the transactions herein contemplated and the
fulfillment by such Selling Shareholder of the terms hereof will not require any
consent, approval, authorization, or other order of any court, 

                                       7

 
regulatory body, administrative agency or other governmental body (except as may
be required under the Act, state securities laws or Blue Sky laws) and will not
result in a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a
default under, organizational documents of such Selling Shareholder, if not an
individual, or any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust or other agreement or
instrument to which such Selling Shareholder is a party, or of any order, rule
or regulation applicable to such Selling Shareholder of any court or of any
regulatory body or administrative agency or other governmental body having
jurisdiction.

                    (iii)  Such Selling Shareholder has not taken and will not
take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to, or which has constituted,
or which might reasonably be expected to cause or result in the stabilization or
manipulation of the price of the Common Stock of the Company and, other than as
permitted by the Act, the Selling Shareholder will not distribute any prospectus
or other offering material in connection with the offering of the Shares.

                    (iv)   Without having undertaken to determine independently
the accuracy or completeness of either the representations and warranties of the
Company contained herein or the information contained in the Registration
Statement, such Selling Shareholder has no reason to believe that the
representations and warranties of the Company contained in this Section 1 are
not true and correct, is familiar with the Registration Statement and has no
knowledge of any material fact, condition or information not disclosed in the
Registration Statement which has adversely affected or may adversely affect the
business of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries; and the sale of the Firm
Shares and the Option Shares by such Selling Shareholder pursuant hereto is not
prompted by any information concerning the Company or any of the Subsidiaries
which is not set forth in the Registration Statement. The information pertaining
to such Selling Shareholder under the caption "Selling Shareholders" in the
Prospectus is complete and accurate in all material respects.

                    (v)    Each of the Selling Shareholders listed on Schedule
III, severally and not jointly, represents, warrants and agrees that each of
them has reviewed the Registration Statement and Prospectus and during the
course of such review, no facts have come to such Selling Shareholder's
attention which leads such Selling Shareholder to believe that the Registration
Statement, at the time it became effective, contained any untrue statement of a
material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated
therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the
circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or that the
Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus, contains any untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances
under which they were made, not misleading.

     2.   Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Firm Shares.
          ---------------------------------------------- 

          (a) On the basis of the representations, warranties and covenants
herein contained, and subject to the conditions herein set forth, the Sellers
agree to sell to the Underwriters and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not
jointly, to purchase, at a price of $_____ per share, the number of Firm Shares
set forth opposite the name of each Underwriter in 

                                       8

 
Schedule I hereof, subject to adjustments in accordance with Section 9 hereof.
The number of Firm Shares to he purchased by each Underwriter from each Seller
shall be as nearly as practicable in the same proportion to the total number of
Firm Shares being sold by each Seller as the number of Firm Shares being
purchased by each Underwriter bears to the total number of Firm Shares to be
sold hereunder. The obligations of the Company and of each of the Selling
Shareholders shall be several and not joint.

          (b) Certificates in negotiable form for the total number of the Shares
to be sold hereunder by the Selling Shareholders have been placed in custody
with _______________ as custodian (the "Custodian") pursuant to the Custodian
Agreement executed by each Selling Shareholder for delivery of all Firm Shares
and any Option Shares to be sold hereunder by the Selling Shareholders. Each of
the Selling Shareholders specifically agrees that the Firm Shares and any Option
Shares represented by the certificates held in custody for the Selling
Shareholders under the Custodian Agreement are subject to the interests of the
Underwriters hereunder, that the arrangements made by the Selling Shareholders
for such custody are to that extent irrevocable, and that the obligations of the
Selling Shareholders hereunder shall not be terminable by any act or deed of the
Selling Shareholders (or by any other person, firm or corporation including the
Company, the Custodian or the Underwriters) or by operation of law (including
the death of an individual Selling Shareholder or the dissolution of a corporate
Selling Shareholder) or by the occurrence of any other event or events, except
as set forth in the Custodian Agreement. If any such event should occur prior to
the delivery of the Underwriters of the Firm Shares or the Option Shares
hereunder, certificates for the Firm Shares or the Option Shares, as the case
may be, shall be delivered by the Custodian in accordance with the terms and
conditions of this Agreement as if such event has not occurred. The Custodian is
authorized to receive and acknowledge receipt of the proceeds of sale of the
Shares held by it against delivery of such Shares.

          (c) Payment for the Firm Shares to be sold hereunder is to be made in
New York Clearing House funds by certified or bank cashier's checks drawn to the
order of the Company for the shares to be sold by it and to the order of
_____________, "as Custodian" for the shares to be sold by the Selling
Shareholders, in each case against delivery of certificates therefor to the
Representatives for the several accounts of the Underwriters.  Such payment and
delivery are to be made at the offices of BT Alex. Brown Incorporated, 135 East
Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland, at 10:00 a.m., Baltimore time, on the
third business day after the date of this Agreement or at such other time and
date not later than five business days thereafter as you and the Company shall
agree upon, such time and date being herein referred to as the "Closing Date."
(As used herein, "business day" means a day on which the New York Stock Exchange
is open for trading and on which banks in New York are open for business and not
permitted by law or executive order to be closed.)  The certificates for the
Firm Shares will be delivered in such denominations and in such registrations as
the Representatives request in writing not later than the second full business
day prior to the Closing Date, and will be made available for inspection by the
Representatives at least one business day prior to the Closing Date.

                                       9

 
          (d) In addition, on the basis of the representations and warranties
herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the
Company [and [the] [certain] Selling Shareholders [listed on Schedule III
hereto]] hereby grant[s] an option to the several Underwriters to purchase the
Option Shares at the price per share as set forth in the first paragraph of this
Section 2.  [The maximum number of Option Shares to be sold by the Company and
the Selling Shareholders is set forth opposite their respective names on
Schedule III hereto.]  The option granted hereby may be exercised in whole or in
part by giving written notice (i) at any time before the Closing Date and (ii)
only once thereafter within 30 days after the date of this Agreement, by you, as
Representatives of the several Underwriters, to the Company, the Attorney-in-
fact, and the Custodian setting forth the number of Option Shares as to which
the several Underwriters are exercising the option, the names and denominations
in which the Option Shares are to be registered and the time and date at which
such certificates are to be delivered.  [If the option granted hereby is
exercised in part, the respective number of Option Shares to be sold by the
Company and each of the Selling Shareholders listed in Schedule III hereto shall
be determined on a pro rata basis in accordance with the percentages set forth
opposite their names on Schedule II hereto, adjusted by you in such manner as to
avoid fractional shares.]  The time and date at which certificates for Option
Shares are to be delivered shall be determined by the Representatives but shall
not be earlier than three nor later than 10 full business days after the
exercise of such option, nor in any event prior to the Closing Date (such time
and date being herein referred to as the "'Option Closing Date").  If the date
of exercise of the option is three or more days before the Closing Date, the
notice of exercise shall set the Closing Date as the Option Closing Date.  The
number of Option Shares to be purchased by each Underwriter shall be in the same
proportion to the total number of Option Shares being purchased as the number of
Firm Shares being purchased by such Underwriter bears to the total number of
Firm Shares, adjusted by you in such manner as to avoid fractional shares.  The
option with respect to the Option Shares granted hereunder may be exercised only
to cover over-allotments in the sale of the Firm Shares by the Underwriters.
You, as Representatives of the several Underwriters, may cancel such option at
any time prior to its expiration by giving written notice of such cancellation
to the Company and the Attorney-in-Fact.  To the extent, if any, that the option
is exercised, payment for the Option Shares shall be made on the Option Closing
Date in New York Clearing House funds by certified or bank cashier's check drawn
to the order of the Company [for the Option Shares to be sold by it and to the
order of "          , as Custodian" for the Option Share to be sold by the
Selling Shareholders] against delivery of certificates therefor at the offices
of BT Alex. Brown Incorporated, 135 East Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland.

          (e) If on the Closing Date or Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
any Selling Shareholder fails to sell the Firm Shares or Option Shares which
such Selling Shareholder has agreed to sell on such date as set forth in
                                                                        
Schedule II hereto, the Company agrees that it will sell or arrange for the sale
- -----------                                                                     
of that number of shares of Common Stock to the Underwriters which represents
Firm Shares or the Option Shares which such Selling Shareholder has failed to so
sell, as set forth in Schedule II hereto, or such lesser number as may be
                      -----------                                        
requested by the Representatives.

     3.   Offering by the Underwriters.
          ---------------------------- 

                                       10

 
          It is understood that the several Underwriters are to make a public
offering of the Firm Shares as soon as the Representatives deem it advisable to
do so.  The Firm Shares are to be initially offered to the public at the initial
public offering price set forth in the Prospectus.  The Representatives may from
time to time thereafter change the public offering price and other selling
terms.  To the extent, if at all, that any Option Shares are purchased pursuant
to Section 2 hereof, the Underwriters will offer them to the public on the
foregoing terms.

          It is further understood that you will act as the Representatives for
the Underwriters in the offering and sale of the Shares in accordance with a
Master Agreement Among Underwriters entered into by you and the several other
Underwriters.

     4.   Covenants of the Company and the Selling Shareholders.
          ----------------------------------------------------- 

          (a) The Company covenants and agrees with the several Underwriters
that:

               (i)    The Company will (A) use its best efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective or, if the procedure in Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations is followed, to prepare and timely file with the
Commission under Rule 424(b) of the Rules and Regulations a Prospectus in a form
approved by the Representatives containing information previously omitted at the
time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430A of
the Rules and Regulations and (B) not file any amendment to the Registration
Statement or supplement to the Prospectus of which the Representatives shall not
previously have been advised and furnished with a copy or to which the
Representatives shall have reasonably objected in writing or which is not in
compliance with the Rules and Regulations.

               (ii)   The Company will advise the Representatives promptly (A)
when the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto shall
have become effective, (B) of receipt of any comments from the Commission, (C)
of any request of the Commission for amendment of the Registration Statement or
for supplement to the Prospectus or for any additional information, and (D) of
the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of
the Registration Statement or the use of the Prospectus or of the institution of
any proceedings for that purpose. The Company will use its best efforts to
prevent the issuance of any such stop order preventing or suspending the use of
the Prospectus and to obtain as soon as possible the lifting thereof, if issued.

               (iii)  The Company will cooperate with the Representatives in
endeavoring to qualify the Shares for sale under the securities laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably have designated in writing
and will make such applications, file such documents, and furnish such
information as may be reasonably required for that purpose, provided the Company
shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general
consent to service of process in any jurisdiction where it is not now so
qualified or required to file such a consent.  The Company will, from time to
time, prepare and file such statements, reports and other documents, as are or
may be required to continue such qualifications in effect for so long a period
as the Representatives may reasonably request for distribution of the Shares.

                                       11

 
               (iv)   The Company will deliver to, or upon the order of, the
Representatives, from time to time, as many copies of any Preliminary Prospectus
as the Representatives may reasonably request.  The Company will deliver to, or
upon the order of, the Representatives during the period when delivery of a
Prospectus is required under the Act, as many copies of the Prospectus in final
form, or as thereafter amended or supplemented, as the Representatives may
reasonably request.  The Company will deliver to the Representatives at or
before the Closing Date, four signed copies of the Registration Statement and
all amendments thereto including all exhibits filed therewith, and will deliver
to the Representatives such number of copies of the Registration Statement
(including such number of copies of the exhibits filed therewith that may
reasonably be requested), and of all amendments thereto, as the Representatives
may reasonably request.

               (v)    The Company will comply with the Act and the Rules and
Regulations, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"), and
the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, so as to permit the
completion of the distribution of the shares as contemplated in this Agreement
and the Prospectus. If during the period in which a prospectus is required by
law to be delivered by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall occur as a
result of which, in the judgment of the Company or in the reasonable opinion of
the Underwriters, it becomes necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus in
order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing
at the time the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or, if
it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with
any law, the Company promptly will prepare and file with the Commission an
appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the
Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the
light of the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading, or so that
the Prospectus will comply with the law.

               (vi)   The Company will make generally available to its security
holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event no later than
15 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement, an earning
statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, covering a period of
at least 12 consecutive months beginning after the effective date of the
Registration Statement, which earning statement shall satisfy the requirements
of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Rules and Regulations and will
advise you in writing when such statement has been so made available.

               (vii)  The Company will, for a period of five years from the
Closing Date, deliver to the Representatives copies of annual reports and copies
of all other documents, reports and information furnished by the Company to its
stockholders or filed with any securities exchange pursuant to the requirements
of such exchange or with the Commission pursuant to the Act or the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  The Company will deliver to the
Representatives similar reports with respect to significant subsidiaries, as
that term is defined in the Rules and Regulations, which are not consolidated in
the Company's financial statements.

               (viii) No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any
shares of Common Stock of the Company or other securities convertible into or
exchangeable or 

                                       12

 
exercisable for shares of Common Stock or derivative of Common Stock (or
agreement for such) will be made for a period of 180 days after the date of this
Agreement, directly or indirectly, by the Company otherwise than hereunder or
with the prior written consent of BT Alex. Brown Incorporated and the Company
will not consent to release any shareholder of the Company from any lock-up
agreement without the prior written consent of BT Alex. Brown Incorporated.

               (ix)   The Company will use its best efforts to list, subject to
notice of issuance, the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market.

               (x)    The Company has caused each officer and director and
specific shareholders of the Company to furnish to you, on or prior to the date
of this agreement, a letter or letters, in form and substance satisfactory to
the Underwriters, pursuant to which each such person shall agree not to offer,
sell, sell short or otherwise dispose of any shares of Common Stock of the
Company or other capital stock of the Company, or any other securities
convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Shares or derivative of
Common Shares owned by such person or request the registration for the offer or
sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which such person has the right to direct
the disposition of) for a period of 180 days after the date of the final
Prospectus, directly or indirectly, except with the prior written consent of BT
Alex. Brown Incorporated ("Lockup Agreements").

               (xi)   The Company shall apply the net proceeds of its sale of
the Shares as set forth in the Prospectus and shall file such reports with the
Commission with respect to the sale of the Shares and the application of the
proceeds therefrom as may be required in accordance with Rule 463 under the Act.

               (xii)  The Company shall not invest, or otherwise use the
proceeds received by the Company from its sale of the Shares in such a manner as
would require the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to register as an
investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the
"1940 Act").

               (xiii) The Company will maintain a transfer agent and, if
necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Company, a registrar
for the Common Stock.

               (xiv)  The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any
action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted or might
reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation of the
price of any securities of the Company.

          (b)  Each of the Selling Shareholders covenants and agrees with the
several Underwriters that:

               (i)    No offering, sale, short sale or other disposition of any
shares of Common Stock of the Company or other capital stock of the Company or
other securities convertible, exchangeable or exercisable for Common Stock or
derivative of Common Stock owned by the Selling Shareholder or request the
registration for the offer or sale of any of the foregoing (or as to which the
Selling Shareholder has the right to direct the disposition of) will be made for
a period of 180 days after the date of the final Prospectus, directly or
indirectly, by such 

                                       13

 
Selling Shareholder otherwise than hereunder or with the prior written consent
of BT Alex. Brown Incorporated.

               (ii)   In order to document the Underwriters' compliance with the
reporting and withholding provisions of the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility
Act of 1982 and the Interest and Dividend Tax Compliance Act of 1983 with
respect to the transactions herein contemplated, each of the Selling
Shareholders agrees to deliver to you prior to or at the Closing Date a properly
completed and executed United States Treasury Department Form W-9 (or other
applicable form or statement specified by Treasury Department regulations in
lieu thereof).

               (iii)  Such Selling Shareholder will not take, directly or
indirectly, any action designed to cause or result in, or that has constituted
or might reasonably be expected to constitute, the stabilization or manipulation
of the price of any securities of the Company.

     5.   Costs and Expenses.
          ------------------ 

          The Company will pay all costs, expenses and fees incident to the
performance of the obligations of the Sellers under this Agreement, including,
without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the following:  accounting
fees of the Company; the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and
the Selling Shareholders; the cost of printing and delivering to, or as
requested by, the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, Preliminary
Prospectuses, the Prospectus, this Agreement, the Underwriters' Selling
Memorandum, the Underwriters' Invitation Letter, the Listing Application, the
Blue Sky Survey and any supplements or amendments thereto; the filing fees of
the Commission; the filing fees and expenses (including legal fees and
disbursements) incident to securing any required review by the NASD of the terms
of the sale of the Shares; the Listing Fee of the Nasdaq National Market; and
the expenses, including the fees and disbursements of counsel for the
Underwriters, incurred in connection with the qualification of the Shares under
State securities or Blue Sky laws.  To the extent, if at all, that any of the
Selling Shareholders engage special legal counsel to represent them in
connection with this offering, the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be
borne by such Selling Shareholder.  Any transfer taxes imposed on the sale of
the Share to the several Underwriters will be paid by the Sellers pro rata.  The
Company agrees to pay all costs and expenses of the Underwriters, including the
fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, incident to the offer
and sale of directed shares of the Common Stock by the Underwriters to employees
and persons having business relationships with the Company and its Subsidiaries.
The Company shall not, however, be required to pay for any of the Underwriters
expenses (other than those related to qualification under NASD regulation and
State securities or Blue Sky laws) except that, if this Agreement shall not be
consummated because the conditions in Section 6 hereof are not satisfied, or
because this Agreement is terminated by the Representatives pursuant to Section
11 hereof, or by reason of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the
Company or the Selling Shareholders to perform any undertaking or satisfy any
condition of this Agreement or to comply with any of the terms hereof on their
part to be performed, unless such failure to satisfy said condition or to comply
with said terms be due to the default or omission of any Underwriter, then the
Company shall reimburse the several 

                                       14

 
Underwriters for reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, including fees and
disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred in connection with investigating,
marketing and proposing to market the Shares or in contemplation of performing
their obligations hereunder; but the Company and the Selling Shareholders shall
not in any event be liable to any of the several Underwriters for damages on
account of loss of anticipated profits from the sale by them of the Shares.

     6.   Conditions of Obligations of the Underwriters.
          --------------------------------------------- 

          The several obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Firm
Shares on the Closing Date and the Option Shares, if any, on the Option Closing
Date are subject to the accuracy, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing
Date, as the case may be, of the representations and warranties of the Company
and the Selling Shareholders contained herein, and to the performance by the
Company and the Selling Shareholders of their covenants and obligations
hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

          (a) The Registration Statement and all post-effective amendments
thereto shall have become effective and any and all filings required by Rule 424
and Rule 430A of the Rules and Regulations shall have been made, and any request
of the Commission for additional information (to be included in the Registration
Statement or otherwise) shall have been disclosed to the Representatives and
complied with to their reasonable satisfaction. No stop order suspending the
effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended from time to time, shall
have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been taken or,
to the knowledge of the Company or the Selling Shareholders, shall be
contemplated by the Commission and no injunction, restraining order, or order of
any nature by a Federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been
issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance of the Shares.

          (b) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich
& Rosati, counsel for the Company and the Selling Shareholders, dated the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the
Underwriters (and stating that it may be relied upon by counsel to the
Underwriters) to the effect that:

               (i)    The Company has been duly organized and is validly
existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of
California, with corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties
and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement; each of the
Subsidiaries has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in
good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with
corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties and conduct its
business as described in the Registration Statement; the Company and each of the
Subsidiaries are duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions in
which the conduct of their business requires such qualification, or in which the
failure to qualify would have a materially adverse effect upon the business of
the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole; and the outstanding shares of
capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly
issued and are 

                                       15

 
fully paid and non-assessable and are owned by the Company or a Subsidiary; and,
to the best of such counsel's knowledge, the outstanding shares of capital stock
of each of the Subsidiaries is owned free and clear of all liens, encumbrances
and equities and claims, and no options, warrants or other rights to purchase,
agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any
obligations into any shares of capital stock or of ownership interests in the
Subsidiaries are outstanding.

               (ii)   The Company has authorized and outstanding capital stock
as set forth under the caption "Capitalization" in the Prospectus; the
authorized shares of the Company's Common Stock have been duly authorized; the
outstanding shares of the Company's capital stock, including the Shares to be
sold by the Selling Shareholders, have been duly authorized and validly issued
and are fully paid and non-assessable; all of the Shares conform to the
description thereof contained in the Prospectus; the certificates for the
Shares, assuming they are in the form filed with the Commission, are in due and
proper form; the shares of Common Stock, including the Option Shares, if any, to
be sold by the Company pursuant to this Agreement have been duly authorized and
will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable when issued and paid for
as contemplated by this Agreement; and no preemptive rights of stockholders
exist with respect to any of the Shares or the issue or sale thereof.

               (iii)  Except as described in or contemplated by the Prospectus,
to the knowledge of such counsel, there are no outstanding securities of the
Company convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase or
subscribe for any shares of capital stock of the Company and there are no
outstanding or authorized options, warrants or rights of any character
obligating the Company to issue any shares of its capital stock or any
securities convertible or exchangeable into or evidencing the right to purchase
or subscribe for any shares of such stock; and except as described in the
Prospectus, to the knowledge of such counsel, no holder of any securities of the
Company or any other person has the right, contractual or otherwise, which has
not been satisfied or effectively waived, to cause the Company to sell or
otherwise issue to them, or to permit them to underwrite the sale of, any of the
Shares or the right to have any Common Shares or other securities of the Company
including in the Registration Statement or the right, as a result of the filing
of the Registration Statement, to require registration under the Act of any
shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company.

               (iv)   The Registration Statement has become effective under the
Act and, to the best of the knowledge of such counsel, no stop order proceedings
with respect thereto have been instituted or are pending or threatened under the
Act.

               (v)    The Registration Statement, the Prospectus and each
amendment or supplement thereto comply as to form in all material respects with
the requirements of the Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder
(except that such counsel need express no opinion as to the financial statements
and related schedules therein).

               (vi)   The statements under the captions "Management--Stock
Plans," "Management--Profit Sharing/401(k) Plan," "Management--Limitation of
Liability and Indemnification Matters," "Certain Transactions," "Description of
Capital Stock" and "Shares 

                                       16

 
Eligible for Future Sale" in the Prospectus, insofar as such statements
constitute a summary of documents referred to therein or matters of law, fairly
summarize in all material respects the information called for with respect to
such documents and matters.

               (vii)  Such counsel does not know of any contracts or documents
required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or described in
the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which are not so filed or described
as required, and such contracts and documents as are summarized in the
Registration Statement or the Prospectus are fairly summarized in all material
respects.

               (viii) Such counsel knows of no material legal or governmental
proceedings pending or threatened against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries
except as set forth in the Prospectus.

               (ix)   The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the
consummation of the transactions herein contemplated do not and will not
conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or
constitute a default under, the Articles of Incorporation or By-laws of the
Company, or any agreement or instrument known to such counsel to which the
Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of
the Subsidiaries may be bound.

               (x)    This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered by the Company.

               (xi)   No approval, consent, order, authorization, designation,
declaration or filing by or with any regulatory, administrative or other
governmental body is necessary in connection with the execution and delivery of
this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein contemplated
(other than as may be required by the NASD or as required by State securities
and Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need express no opinion) except such
as have been obtained or made, specifying the same.

               (xii)  The Company is not, and will not become, as a result of
the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and
application of the net proceeds therefrom as described in the Prospectus,
required to register as an investment company under the 1940 Act.

               (xiii) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
delivered on behalf of the Selling Shareholders.

               (xiv)  Each Selling Shareholder has full legal right, power and
authority, and any approval required by law (other than as required by State
securities and Blue Sky laws as to which such counsel need express no opinion),
to sell, assign, transfer and deliver the portion of the Shares to be sold by
such Selling Shareholders.

               (xv)   The Custodian Agreement and the Power of Attorney executed
and delivered by each Selling Shareholder is valid and binding.

                                       17

 
               (xvi)  The Underwriters (assuming that they are bona fide
purchasers within the meaning of the Uniform Commercial Code) have acquired good
and marketable title to the Shares being sold by each Selling Shareholder on the
Closing Date, and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, free and clear of
all liens, encumbrances, equities and claims.

          In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion shall also
include a statement to the effect that nothing has come to the attention of such
counsel which leads them to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, at the
time it became effective under the Act (but after giving effect to any
modifications incorporated therein pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) and as
of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an
untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
and (ii) the Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed
pursuant to the Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the
statements, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not
misleading (except that such counsel need express no view as to financial
statements and schedules therein).  With respect to such statement, Wilson
Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati may state that their belief is based upon the
procedures set forth therein, but is without independent check and verification.

          (c)  The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, the opinion of Blakely, Sokoloff,
Taylor & Zafman, intellectual property counsel for the Company, dated as of the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, addressed to the
Underwriters, to the effect that such counsel is familiar with the technology
used by the Company in its business and the manner of its use thereof and has
read the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, including particularly the
portions of the Registration Statement and the Prospectus referring to patents
and trade secrets, and

               (i)    Neither the Registration Statement nor the Prospectus,
including but not limited to "Risk Factors-Limited Intellectual Property
Protection" and "Business-Intellectual Property" (a) contains any untrue
statement of material fact with respect to (1) patents, patent rights, trade
secrets, trademarks, service marks or other proprietary information owned or
used by the Company, or the manner of its use thereof, or (2) any allegation on
the part of any person that the Company is infringing any patent rights, trade
secrets, trademarks services marks or other proprietary information of any such
person or (b) omits to state any material fact relating to (1) patents, trade
secrets, trademarks, service marks or other proprietary information or materials
owned or used by the Company, or the manner of its use thereof or (2) any
allegation on the part of any person that the Company is infringing on any
patent rights, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks or other proprietary
information or materials of any such person that is necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading;

               (ii)   Except as stated in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending relating to
patent rights, trade secrets, 

                                       18

 
trademarks, service marks or other proprietary information of the Company, and
no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities
or others;

               (iii)  Except as stated in the Registration Statement or
Prospectus, to its knowledge, the Company is not infringing or otherwise
violating any patents, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks or other
proprietary information of others; and

               (iv)   To its knowledge, the Company owns or possesses sufficient
rights to use all patents, trade secrets, trademarks, service marks or other
proprietary information as described in the Prospectus.

          (d)  The Representatives shall have received from Gunderson Dettmer
Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, an
opinion dated the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
substantially to the effect specified in subparagraphs ___________________ of
Paragraph (b) of this Section 6, and that the Company is a duly organized and
validly existing corporation under the laws of the State of California.  In
rendering such opinion Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian,
LLP may rely as to all matters governed other than by the laws of the State of
California or Federal laws on the opinion of counsel referred to in Paragraph
(b) of this Section 6.  In addition to the matters set forth above, such opinion
shall also include a statement to the effect that nothing has come to the
attention of such counsel which leads them to believe that (i) the Registration
Statement, or any amendment thereto, as of the time it became effective under
the Act (but after giving effect to any modifications incorporated therein
pursuant to Rule 430A under the Act) as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material
fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and (ii) the
Prospectus, or any supplement thereto, on the date it was filed pursuant to the
Rules and Regulations and as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as
the case may be, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to
state a material fact, necessary in order to make the statements, in the light
of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading (except that such
counsel need express no view as to financial statements, schedules and
statistical information therein).  With respect to such statement, Gunderson
Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP may state that their belief
is based upon the procedures set forth therein, but is without independent check
and verification.

          (e)  The Representatives shall have received at or prior to the
Closing Date from Gunderson Dettmer Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP
a memorandum or summary, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Representatives, with respect to the qualification for offering and sale by the
Underwriters of the Shares under the State securities or Blue Sky laws of such
jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably have designated to the
Company.

          (f)  You shall have received, on each of the dates hereon, the Closing
Date and the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a letter dated the date
hereof, the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, in form
and substance satisfactory to you, of 

                                       19

 
Deloitte & Touche confirming that they are independent public accountants within
the meaning of the Act and the applicable published Rules and Regulations
thereunder and stating that in their opinion the financial statements and
schedules examined by them and included in the Registration Statement comply in
form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the
Act and the related published Rules and Regulations; and containing such other
statements and information as is ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort
letters" to Underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain
financial and statistical information contained in the Registration Statement
and Prospectus.

          (g) The Representatives shall have received on the Closing Date or the
Option Closing Date, as the case may be, a certificate or certificates of the
Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the Company to the
effect that, as of the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may
be, each of them severally represents as follows:

              (i)    The Registration Statement has become effective under the
Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been taken or are, to
his knowledge, contemplated by the Commission;

              (ii)   The representations and warranties of the Company contained
in Section 1 hereof are true and correct as of the Closing Date or the Option
Closing Date, as the case may be;

              (iii)  All filings required to have been made pursuant to Rules
424 or 430A under the Act have been made;

              (iv)   He has carefully examined the Registration Statement and
the Prospectus and, in his opinion, as of the effective date of the Registration
Statement, the statements contained in the Registration Statement were true and
correct, and such Registration Statement and Prospectus did not omit to state a
material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein not misleading, and since the effective date of the
Registration Statement, no event has occurred which should have been set forth
in a supplement to or an amendment of the Prospectus which has not been so set
forth in such supplement or amendment; and

              (v)    Since the respective dates as of which information is given
in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, there has not been any material
adverse change or any development involving a prospective material adverse
change in or affecting the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or the earnings, business, management,
properties, assets, rights, operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or
prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not
arising in the ordinary course of business.

          (h) The Company and the Selling Shareholders shall have furnished to
the Representatives such further certificates and documents confirming the
representations and

                                       20

 
warranties, covenants and conditions contained herein and related matters as the
Representatives may reasonably have requested.

          (i) The Firm Shares and Option Shares, if any, have been approved for
designation upon notice of issuance on the Nasdaq National Market.

          (j) The Lockup Agreements described in Section 4(x) are in full force
and effect.

          The opinions and certificates mentioned in this Agreement shall be
deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in all
material respects satisfactory to the Representatives and to Gunderson Dettmer
Stough Villeneuve Franklin & Hachigian, LLP, counsel for the Underwriters.

          If any of the conditions hereinabove provided for in this Section 6
shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be
fulfilled, the obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be terminated by
the Representatives by notifying the Company and the Selling Shareholders of
such termination in writing or by telegram at or prior to the Closing Date or
the Option Closing Date, as the case may be.

          In such event, the Selling Shareholders, the Company and the
Underwriters shall not be under any obligation to each other (except to the
extent provided in Sections 5 and 8 hereof).

     7.   Conditions of the Obligations of the Sellers.
          -------------------------------------------- 

          (a) The obligations of the Sellers to sell and deliver the portion of
the Shares required to be delivered as and when specified in this Agreement are
subject to the conditions that at the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date,
as the case may be, no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the
Registration Statement shall have been issued and in effect or proceedings
therefor initiated or threatened.

     8.   Indemnification.
          --------------- 

          (a) The Company and the Selling Shareholders, jointly and severally,
agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any,
who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act, against any losses,
claims, damages or liabilities to which such Underwriter or any such controlling
person may become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses,
claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto,
or (ii) the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not
misleading; and will reimburse each Underwriter and each such controlling person
upon demand for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such
Underwriter or such controlling person in connection with investigating or
defending any such 

                                       21

 
loss, claim, damage or liability, action or proceeding or in responding to a
subpoena or governmental inquiry related to the offering of the Shares, whether
or not such Underwriter or controlling person is a party to any action or
proceeding; provided, however, that the Company and the Selling Shareholders
will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim,
damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or
alleged untrue statement, or omission or alleged omission made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or such
amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives
specifically for use in the preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which the Company or the Selling Shareholders
may otherwise have.

          (b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly will indemnify and hold
harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who have
signed the Registration Statement, the Selling Shareholders, and each person, if
any, who controls the Company or the Selling Shareholders within the meaning of
the Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company
or any such director, officer, Selling Shareholder or controlling person may
become subject under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims,
damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) arise out
of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any
material fact contained in the Registration Statement, any Preliminary
Prospectus, the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto, or (ii) the
omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the
light of the circumstances under which they were made; and will reimburse any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or any such director,
officer, Selling Shareholder or controlling person in connection with
investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability, action or
proceeding; provided, however, that each Underwriter will be liable in each case
to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged
untrue statement or omission or alleged omission has been made in the
Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or such
amendment or supplement, in reliance upon and in conformity with written
information furnished to the Company by or through the Representatives
specifically for use in the preparation thereof.  This indemnity agreement will
be in addition to any liability which such Underwriter may otherwise have.

          (c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to this Section 8, such person (the "indemnified party") shall
promptly notify the person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the
"indemnifying party") in writing.  No indemnification provided for in Section
8(a) or (b) shall be available to any party who shall fail to give notice as
provided in this Section 8(c) if the party to whom notice was not given was
unaware of the proceeding to which such notice would have related and was
materially prejudiced by the failure to give such notice, but the failure to
give such notice shall not relieve the indemnifying party or parties from any
liability which it or they may have to the indemnified party for contribution or
otherwise than on account of the provisions of Section 8(a) or (b).  In case any
such proceeding shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall
notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying
party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the 

                                       22

 
extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly
notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such
indemnified party and shall pay as incurred the fees and disbursements of such
counsel related to such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified
party shall have the right to retain its own counsel at its own expense.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the indemnifying party shall pay as incurred (or
within 30 days of presentation) the fees and expenses of the counsel retained by
the indemnified party in the event (i) the indemnifying party and the
indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such counsel,
(ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties)
include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party and representation
of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or
potential differing interests between them or (iii) the indemnifying party shall
have failed to assume the defense and employ counsel acceptable to the
indemnified party within a reasonable period of time after notice of
commencement of the action. It is understood that the indemnifying party shall
not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in the same
jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one
separate firm for all such indemnified parties. Such firm shall be designated in
writing by you in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 8(a) and
by the Company and the Selling Shareholders in the case of parties indemnified
pursuant to Section 8(b). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any
settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent but if settled
with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the
indemnifying party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and against
any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. In addition, the
indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the
indemnified party, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment
in any pending or threatened claim, action or proceeding of which
indemnification may be sought hereunder (whether or not any indemnified party is
an actual or potential party to such claim action or proceeding) unless such
settlement, compromise or consent includes an unconditional release of each
indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action or
proceeding.

          (d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is
unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under
Section 8(a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) referred to therein,
then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof) in such proportion as
is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the
Selling Shareholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the
offering of the Shares.  If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately
preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law then each indemnifying
party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party
in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits
but also the relative fault of the Company and the Selling Shareholders on the
one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or
omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, (or
actions or proceedings in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant
equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company and the
Selling Shareholders on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be
deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering
(before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the Selling 

                                       23

 
Shareholders bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received
by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of
the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among
other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to
information supplied by the Company or the Selling Shareholders on the one hand
or the Underwriters on the other and the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or
omission.

          The Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters agree that
it would not be just and equitable if contributions pursuant to this Section
8(d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were
treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation
which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in
this Section 8(d).  The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions or proceedings
in respect thereof) referred to above in this Section 8(d) shall be deemed to
include any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified
party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), (i) no Underwriter shall
be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting discounts and
commissions applicable to the Shares purchased by such Underwriter, (ii) no
person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section
11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not
guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation, and (iii) no Selling Shareholder
shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the proceeds received by
such Selling Shareholder from the Underwriters in the offering.  The
Underwriters' obligations in this Section 8(d) to contribute are several in
proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.

          (e) In any proceeding relating to the Registration Statement, any
Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus or any supplement or amendment thereto,
each party against whom contribution may be sought under this Section 8 hereby
consents to the jurisdiction of any court having jurisdiction over any other
contributing party, agrees that process issuing from such court may be served
upon him or it by any other contributing party and consents to the service of
such process and agrees that any other contributing party may join him or it as
an additional defendant in any such proceeding in which such other contributing
party is a party.

          (f) Any losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses for which an
indemnified party is entitled to indemnification or contribution under this
Section 8 shall be paid by the indemnifying party to the indemnified party as
such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are incurred.  The
indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 8 and the
representations and warranties of the Company set forth in this Agreement shall
remain operative and in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any
investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any person controlling
any Underwriter, the Company, its directors or officers or any persons
controlling the Company, (ii) acceptance of any Shares and payment therefor
hereunder, and (iii) any termination of this Agreement.  A successor to any
Underwriter, or to the Company, its directors or officers, or any person
controlling the Company, shall be 

                                       24

 
entitled to the benefits of the indemnity, contribution and reimbursement
agreements contained in this Section 8.

     9.   Default By Underwriters.
          ----------------------- 

          If on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
any Underwriter shall fail to purchase and pay for the portion of the Shares
which such Underwriter has agreed to purchase and pay for on such date
(otherwise than by reason of any default on the part of the Company or a Selling
Shareholder), you, as Representatives of the Underwriters, shall use your
reasonable efforts to procure within 36 hours thereafter one or more of the
other Underwriters, or any others, to purchase from the Company and the Selling
Shareholders such amounts as may be agreed upon and upon the terms set forth
herein, the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, which the
defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase.  If during such 36
hours you, as such Representatives, shall not have procured such other
Underwriters, or any others, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as
the case may be, agreed to be purchased by the defaulting Underwriter or
Underwriters, then (a) if the aggregate number of shares with respect to which
such default shall occur does not exceed 10% of the Firm Shares or Option
Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated, severally, in proportion to the respective numbers of Firm Shares or
Option Shares, as the case may be, which they are obligated to purchase
hereunder, to purchase the Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be,
which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters failed to purchase, or (b) if
the aggregate number of shares of Firm Shares or Option Shares, as the case may
be, with respect to which such default shall occur exceeds 10% of the Firm
Shares or Option Shares, as the case may be, covered hereby, the Company and the
Selling Shareholders or you as the Representatives of the Underwriters will have
the right, by written notice given within the next 36-hour period to the parties
to this Agreement, to terminate this Agreement without liability on the part of
the non-defaulting Underwriters or of the Company or of the Selling Shareholders
except to the extent provided in Section 8 hereof.  In the event of a default by
any Underwriter or Underwriters, as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing
Date or Option Closing date, as the case may be, may be postponed for such
period, not exceeding seven days, as you, as Representatives, may determine in
order that the required changes in the Registration Statement or in the
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected.  The term
"Underwriter" includes any person substituted for a defaulting Underwriter.  Any
action taken under this Section 9 shall not relieve any defaulting Underwriter
from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this
Agreement.

     10.  Notices.
          ------- 

          All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, except as
otherwise provided herein, will be mailed, delivered, telecopied or telegraphed
and confirmed as follows:  if to the Underwriters, to BT Alex. Brown
Incorporated, One South Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, Attention:
________________; with a copy to BT Alex. Brown Incorporated, 135 East Baltimore
Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, Attention:  General Counsel; if to the
Company or the Selling Shareholders, to Insync Systems, Inc., 1463 Centre Point
Drive, Milpitas, California 95035.

                                       25

 
     11.  Termination.
          ----------- 

          This Agreement may be terminated by you by notice to the Sellers as
follows:

          (a) at any time prior to the earlier of (i) the time the Shares are
released by you for sale by notice to the Underwriters, or (ii) 11:30 a.m. on
the first business day following the date of this Agreement;

          (b) at any time prior to the Closing Date if any of the following has
occurred:  (i) since the respective dates as of which information is given in
the Registration Statement and the Prospectus, any material adverse change or
any development involving a prospective material adverse change in or affecting
the condition, financial or otherwise, of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken
as a whole or the earnings, business, management, properties, assets, rights,
operations, condition (financial or otherwise) or prospects of the Company and
its Subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising in the ordinary course
of business, (ii) any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or declaration of
war or national emergency or other national or international calamity or crisis
or change in economic or political conditions if the effect of such outbreak,
escalation, declaration, emergency, calamity, crisis or change on the financial
markets of the United States would, in your reasonable judgment, make it
impracticable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the
Shares, or (iii) suspension of trading in securities generally on the New York
Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange or limitation on prices (other
than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) for securities on
either such Exchange, (iv) the enactment, publication, decree or other
promulgation of any statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or other
governmental authority which in your opinion materially and adversely affects or
may materially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company,
(v) declaration of a banking moratorium by United States or New York State
authorities, (vi) any downgrading in the rating of the Company's debt securities
by any "nationally recognized statistical rating organization" (as defined for
purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Exchange Act); (vii) the suspension of trading
of the Company's common stock by the Commission on the Nasdaq National Market or
(viii) the taking of any action by any governmental body or agency in respect of
its monetary or fiscal affairs which in your reasonable opinion has a material
adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States; or

          (c) as provided in Sections 6 and 9 of this Agreement.

     12.  Successors.
          ---------- 

          This Agreement has been and is made solely for the benefit of the
Underwriters, the Company and the Selling Shareholders and their respective
successors, executors, administrators, heirs and assigns, and the officers,
directors and controlling persons referred to herein, and no other person will
have any right or obligation hereunder.  No purchaser of any of the Shares from
any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign merely because of such
purchase.

                                       26

 
     13.  Information Provided By Underwriters.
          ------------------------------------ 

          The Company, the Selling Shareholders and the Underwriters acknowledge
and agree that the only information furnished or to be furnished by any
Underwriter to the Company for inclusion in any Prospectus or the Registration
Statement consists of the information set forth in the last paragraph on the
front cover page (insofar as such information relates to the Underwriters),
legends required by Item 502(d) of Regulation S-K under the Act and the
information under the caption "Underwriting" in the Prospectus.

                                       27

 
     14.  Miscellaneous
          -------------

          The reimbursement, indemnification and contribution agreements
contained in this Agreement and the representations, warranties and covenants in
this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of (a) any
termination of this Agreement, (b) any investigation made by or on behalf of any
Underwriter or controlling person thereof, or by or on behalf of the Company or
its directors or officers and (c) delivery of and payment for the Shares under
this Agreement.

          This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.

          This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with,
the laws of the State of Maryland.

          If the foregoing letter is in accordance with your understanding of
our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicates hereof,
whereupon it will become a binding agreement among the Selling Shareholders, the
Company and the several Underwriters in accordance with its terms.

                                       28

 
          Any person executing and delivering this Agreement as Attorney-in-Fact
for a Selling Shareholder represents by so doing that he has been duly appointed
as Attorney-in-Fact by such Selling Shareholder pursuant to a validly existing
and binding Power of Attorney which authorizes such Attorney-in-Fact to take
such action.

                              Very truly yours,

                              INSYNC SYSTEMS, INC.

                              By________________________________________________
                                 Stanley L. Leopard,
                                 Chief Executive Officer

                              Selling Shareholders listed on Schedule II

                              By________________________________________________

                              Attorney-in-Fact]

The foregoing Underwriting Agreement is hereby
confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.

BT ALEX. BROWN INCORPORATED

PAINE WEBBER, INC.

PRUDENTIAL SECURITIES, INC.



As Representatives of the several
Underwriters listed on Schedule I

By:  BT Alex. Brown Incorporated


By:  _______________________________
               Authorized Officer

                                       29

 
                                  SCHEDULE I

                           SCHEDULE OF UNDERWRITERS

 
 
            Underwriter               Number of Firm Shares to be Purchased
            -----------               -------------------------------------
                                   
       BT Alex. Brown Incorporated
       Paine Webber, Inc.
       Prudential Securities, Inc.
 
 
 
                                                  _____________
 
               Total                              _____________


 
                                  SCHEDULE II

                       SCHEDULE OF SELLING SHAREHOLDERS



            Selling Shareholder              Number of Firm Shares to be Sold
            -------------------              --------------------------------
                                          
 
 
 
 
 
                                                    _____________
 
                  Total                             _____________


 
                                 SCHEDULE III

                        SELLING SHAREHOLDERS PROVIDING
                    A REPRESENTATION UNDER SECTION 1(b)(v)