September 24, 1997


Jean-Yves Dexmier
1152 Brown Avenue
Lafayette, CA  94549

Dear Jean-Yves:

We are very pleased that you are considering joining us at Informix Software,
Inc. (Company).  The purpose of this letter is to set forth our offer of
employment.  We propose that you begin employment with Informix Software, Inc.
in the capacity of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,
reporting to Bob Finocchio, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Your salary, computed on an annual basis beginning on the date you become an
employee of the Company, will be $350,000 per year and shall be paid in equal
semi-monthly installments.

You will also participate in the Executive Incentive Compensation Plan with a 
target rate of 50% of base salary based upon achievement of corporate 
objectives, guaranteed for six (6) months from your start date.  Plan details 
will be provided under separate cover.

You will receive a non-qualified stock option under the Informix Corporation 
Employee Stock Option Plan to acquire 500,000 shares of the common stock of 
Informix Corporation on terms and conditions to be determined solely by the 
Board of Directors at the time of the grant.  You, of course, will be under 
no obligation to exercise any stock options which may be granted to you.  
These options will be protected by the Executive Officer Acceleration Program 
currently under preparation.

If your employment is terminated by the company within the first twelve (12) 
months of your employment for other than cause, you will receive, as 
severance, in accordance with our severance pay practices, an amount equal to 
one year of base salary plus your Executive Incentive Compensation Plan at 
target (total target compensation).  If you employment is terminated by the 
company after 12 months of your employment for other than cause, your 
severance allowance shall be equal to six (6) months of total target 
compensation, payable in accordance with our severance pay practices.

If there is a change in ownership of the company during the first twelve (12) 
months of your employment, you will receive a bonus equal to $1,000,000 less 
any stock option profit realized upon the change in ownership.  For the 
purpose of this provision, stock option profit will be equal to the number of 
shares vested at the time of the closing of the sale of the company 
multiplied by the difference in the price of the company's common stock 
immediately prior to the closing of this transaction and your option price if 
that difference is positive.

During the first six (6) months of your employment, you will be allowed to 
continue with your present consulting activities at a rate of one (1) day per 
week, assuming that these activities pose no conflict of interest with the 
business of this company.  If you avail yourself of this provision, your base 
salary will be adjusted pro rata based upon the amount of time you spend on 
these activities.



Page 2
Jean-Yves Dexmier
September 24, 1997



This offer of employment is contingent upon the following:

- -   Your signing of the Company's Employee Agreement for Nondisclosure of 
Confidential Information, in the form attached.

- -   Your acceptance of this offer by signing this letter below. 

- -   Your signing of the enclosed W-4 form.

- -   Within your first day of employment, you must provide for examination, 
proof of your legal right to work in the United States and complete the 
Immigration Form I-9 as required by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization 
Service.  These include either 1) a U.S. passport, a U.S. certificate of 
citizenship, a U.S. certificate of naturalization, an unexpired foreign 
passport with  attached employment authorization or an alien registration 
card with photograph; OR 2) a state driver's license, a state I.D. card, a 
U.S. military card AND a Social Security card or a U.S. birth certificate.  
If  you do not have proof of identification on the first day of employment, 
you will be sent home to obtain the documents.  You will not be placed on the 
payroll until this form is completed by a Company representative.  If for any 
reason you are unable to provide proof of your identity as well as your legal 
right to work in the United States within the first three days the Company 
may terminate your employment. From time to time after your first day of 
employment, you may be asked to provide proof of your identity as well as 
your legal right to work in the United States.

This offer of employment is not for any specific period of time and your 
employment may be terminated with or without cause by yourself or the Company 
at any time for any reason.

As an employee of Informix, you also agree to comply with company policies, 
procedures and standards of conduct that may be established by the Company.

This offer of employment contains all of the terms and conditions of your 
employment with the Company and supersedes any and all prior, oral or written 
representations or agreements made by anyone employed by, or associated with, 
the Company.

The terms of this offer, if accepted, will become your terms of employment 
and can only be added to or modified by a written document signed by the Vice 
President of Human Resources or the President of the Company.



Page 3
Jean-Yves Dexmier
September 24, 1997



I am looking forward to your acceptance of this offer.  Please be advised 
that this offer of employment is valid only to September 29, 1997.  Please 
acknowledge your acceptance by signing and dating this letter and returning 
it to us before October 3, 1997.  In addition, please complete the W-4 form 
and return it to the Human Resources Department prior to beginning your 
employment or no later than 3 days after your date of hire.  Enclosed for 
your convenience in making the return is a self-addressed envelope.  Please 
bring your I-9 form, required identification, and Non-Disclosure Agreement 
with you on your first day of employment for verification and witnessing by 
your manager.

Sincerely,

INFORMIX SOFTWARE, INC.


Bob Finocchio
Chairman, President and
Chief Executive Officer


Enclosures
1. Non-Disclosure Form
2. I-9 Form
3. W-4
4. Employee Handbook


AGREED ON THE 1stDAY OF October 1997

ANTICIPATED START DATE:  2nd DAY OF October 1997

SIGNED:/s/Jean-Yves Dexmier