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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.5


                             MAI SYSTEMS CORPORATION
                             NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS'
                                   OPTION PLAN


        1. DEFINITIONS. As used herein, the following definitions shall apply:

           (a) "BOARD" shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

           (b) "COMMON STOCK" shall mean the Common Stock, $0.01 par value, of
the Company.

           (c) "COMPANY" shall mean MAI Systems Corporation, a Delaware
corporation.

           (d) "DIRECTOR" shall mean a person serving on the Board as of the
date of the adoption of this Plan by the Board or who is thereafter elected by
the stockholders of the Company or appointed to serve as a member of the Board.

           (e) "ELIGIBLE DIRECTOR" shall mean a Director who is eligible to be
granted an Option pursuant to and in accordance with the Plan, as set forth in
Section 5 of the Plan.

           (f) "EXERCISE PRICE" shall mean the price per Share at which an
Option may be exercised.

           (g) "PURCHASE PRICE" shall mean the Exercise Price times the number
of whole Shares with respect to which an Option is exercised.

           (h) "OPTION" shall mean any option granted pursuant to the plan.

           (i) "OPTION CERTIFICATE" shall mean a written certificate evidencing
an Option, substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

           (j) "OPTIONHOLDER" shall mean a Director who has been granted an
Option.

           (k) "PLAN" shall mean this Non-Employee Directors' Option Plan.

           (l) "SHARE" or "SHARES" shall mean shares of Common Stock, as
adjusted in accordance with Section 12 of the Plan.

        2. PURPOSES OF THE PLAN. The purposes of the Plan are to attract and
retain the best available candidates for the Board, to provide additional equity
incentive to members of the Board and to promote the success of the Company's
business.



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        3. STOCK SUBJECT TO PLAN. Subject to the provisions of Section 12 of the
Plan, the maximum aggregate number of Shares which may be issued upon exercise
of Options under the Plan is Two Hundred Fifty Thousand (250,000) Shares. The
number of Shares subject to Options outstanding under the Plan at any time may
not exceed the number of Shares remaining available for issuance under the Plan.
The Shares subject to Options may be authorized, but unissued, or reacquired
Shares. If any outstanding Option expires unexercised or is terminated, the
Shares subject to such Option shall be returned to the Plan and shall become
available for issuance upon exercise of other Options issued under the Plan. In
addition, if, pursuant to Section 8(e) of the Plan, an Option is deemed to
expire or terminate in whole or part, then, to the extent provided in Section
8(e), the Shares subject to such Option shall be returned to the Plan and shall
become available for issuance upon exercise of other Options issued under the
Plan.

        4. ADMINISTRATION OF THE PLAN. The Plan shall be administered by the
Board of Directors of the Company. The Board shall have the authority, in its
absolute discretion, to make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable
for the administration of the Plan; provided, however, that the Board shall have
no discretion to determine the selection of Directors to whom Options will be
granted, the frequency of Option grants, the number of Shares subject to an
Option (except in accordance with Section 7 hereof), and the terms and
provisions of Options. All decisions of the Board shall be final.

        5. ELIGIBILITY. Any person who on or after the effective date (as
determined in accordance with Section 13 hereof) of the Plan is or becomes a
Director and who is (i) not an employee of the Company; (ii) not an officer of
the Company; or (iii) is not the owner, directly or indirectly, of five percent
(5%) or more of the issued and outstanding Common Stock shall be an Eligible
Director.

        6. INITIAL GRANTS OF OPTION. Each person who is or becomes an Eligible
Director during the term of the Plan shall automatically be granted on the date
he first becomes an Eligible Director during the term of the Plan an Option to
purchase Thirty-One Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty (31,250) Shares, subject to
adjustment in accordance with the provisions of Section 12 hereof. Except as
specifically provided in this Section 6 and in Section 7(a), no Option shall be
granted under the Plan to an Eligible Director.

        7. ADDITIONAL GRANTS OF OPTIONS.

           (a) An Eligible Director shall also be granted an Option under the
Plan to purchase Six Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty (6,250) Shares (subject to
adjustment in accordance with the provisions of Section 12 hereof) on the date
of each successive annual meeting of the Company's stockholders held after
calendar 1995 at which such Eligible Director is reelected to the Company's
Board.

           (b) If the total number of Shares which would otherwise be subject to
Options to be granted under Section 7(a) on a scheduled grant date exceeds the
number of Shares then available under the Plan (after deduction for all Shares
for which Options have been exercised or are then outstanding), the Shares
remaining available for grant subject to Options shall be


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           (c) allocated pro rata among those Eligible Directors who have not
previously received an Option under Section 7(a) of the Plan.

        8. TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OPTION. Each Option granted pursuant to this
Plan shall be evidenced by an Option Certificate, which Option Certificate shall
comply with and be subject to the following terms and conditions:

           (a) Number of Shares. Each Option Certificate shall state the number
of Shares to which it pertains and shall provide for the adjustment thereof in
accordance with the provisions of Section 12 hereof.

           (b) Exercise Price. Each Option Certificate shall state the Exercise
Price. The Exercise Price shall be one hundred percent (100%) of the fair market
value of the Common Stock on the date of the grant, which shall be the average
of the closing bid and asked prices of the Common Stock on the date of grant, as
reported in The Wall Street Journal (or, if not so reported, as otherwise
reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation
("NASDAQ") System), or, in the event the Common Stock is listed on national
securities exchange or on the NASDAQ National market System, the fair market
value per Share shall be the closing price on such Option, as reported in The
Wall Street Journal.

           (c) Medium and Time of Payment. The Purchase price for any Shares
purchased upon exercise of an Option shall be payable in full and shall be paid
by cash or check. The Purchase Price may also be paid (i) by delivery of Shares
already owned by, and in the possession of, the Optionholder, or (ii) if
specifically permitted in the Option being exercised, when and as permitted
therein, by a notice instructing the Company to withhold from those Shares that
otherwise would be issuable upon the exercise of the Option a number of Shares
having a fair market value equal to the Purchase Price of the Shares being
purchased, or any combination thereof. Shares of Common Stock used to satisfy
the Purchase Price of an Option shall be valued at their fair market value
determined (in accordance with Section 8(b) as of the close of business on the
date the Option is exercised, or if such date is not a business day, on the
business day immediately preceding the date of exercise.

           (d) Term of Option. Subject to Section 8(e) hereof, the term of each
Option shall be ten (10) years, but no option shall be exercisable for more than
one (1) year following the date an optionee ceases to be a director of the
Company.

           (e) Vesting. Each Option granted under Section 6 of the Plan shall
vest and be exercisable cumulatively to the extent of twenty percent (20%) of
the Shares subject thereto six months from the date of grant of the Option and
on the date of each successive annual meeting of stockholders at which the
Eligible Director is reelected to the Board (other than any such meeting held in
the same calendar year in which the Option is granted). Each Option granted
under Section 7(a) of the Plan shall vest and be exercisable to the extent of
all of the Shares issuable


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upon exercise of such Option on the date of the annual meeting of the Company's
stockholders held during the fourth calendar year after the date of grant at
which the Optionholder is reelected to the Board. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
if an Optionholder shall cease to be a director of the Company for any reason or
no reason ("Termination"), whether such Termination is permanent or temporary,
then after the effective date of such Termination and through the end of the
term of such Optionholder's Option, such Optionholder may exercise such Option
to purchase only the number of Shares that such Optionholder would have been
entitled to purchase on the effective date of such Termination, and such Option
shall be deemed to be an Option to purchase only the number of Shares that such
Optionholder would have been entitled to purchase on the effective date of such
Termination. To the extent that such Optionholder shall not be entitled to
exercise the Option as to any or all of the Shares subject to such Option, the
Option for such Shares as to which the Option shall not be exercisable shall be
deemed to expire on such effective date and the Shares as to which the Option
shall no longer be exercisable shall be returned to the Plan and shall become
available for issuance under the Plan.

           (f) Withholding Taxes. In the event the Company determines that it is
required to withhold state or federal income tax, FICA or other tax as a result
of the exercise of an Option, it may require the Optionholder to make
arrangements satisfactory to the Company to enable it to satisfy such
requirements as a condition to the exercise of the Option. Whenever an
Optionholder is required to pay to the Company, or to have deducted from any
fees payable by the Company to such Optionholder, an amount necessary to satisfy
the Company's withholding obligations in connection with the exercise any
Option, such Optionholder shall be entitled, subject to such rules as the Board
may adopt, to satisfy such withholding obligation, in whole or in part, by
tendering to the Company or directing the Company to withhold Shares acquired
upon exercise of such Option, and/or tendering to the Company or other Shares
owned by such Optionholder, having a fair market value equal to the amount
required to be withheld.

        9. NONTRANSFERABILITY OF OPTIONS. Options granted under this Plan may
not be sold, pledged, assigned, hypothecated, gifted, transferred or disposed of
in any manner, in whole or in part, either voluntarily or involuntarily by
operation of law, other than by will or by the laws of descent or distribution,
and may be exercised during the lifetime of the Optionholder only by such
Optionholder.

        10. CONDITIONS UPON ISSUANCE OF SHARES. Shares shall not be issued
pursuant to the exercise of an Option unless the exercise of such Option and the
issuance and delivery of such Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all
relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of
1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, (the "Exchange Act"), applicable
state securities laws, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the
requirements of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then be listed, and
shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the Company with respect
to such compliance.

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        11. RESERVATION OF SHARES. The Company, during the term of this Plan,
and subject to obtaining stockholder approval to the Plan as provided in Section
15 hereof, shall at all times reserve and keep available such number of Shares
as shall be sufficient to satisfy the requirements of the Plan.

        12. ADJUSTMENTS FOR STOCK SPLITS, ETC. Subject to any required action by
the stockholders of the Company, the number of Shares covered by each
outstanding Option, and the number of Shares which have been authorized for
issuance under the Plan but as to which no Options have yet been granted or
which have been returned to the Plan upon cancellation or expiration of an
Option, as well as the Exercise Price covered by each such outstanding Option,
shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of
issued Shares resulting from a stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend,
combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other increase or
decrease in the number of issued Shares effected without receipt of
consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any
convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been "effected
without receipt of consideration". Such adjustments shall be made by the Board,
whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive.
Except as expressly provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of
stock of any class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class,
shall affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to,
the number or Purchase Price of Shares subject to an Option.

        In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the Company,
or in the event of a proposed sale of all or substantially all of the stock or
assets of the Company, or the merger, consolidation or reorganization of the
Company with or into another corporation, the Board shall (i) make provision for
the assumption of all outstanding Options by the successor corporation or (ii)
declare that any Option shall terminate as of a date fixed by the Board which is
at least thirty (30) days after notice thereof is given to Optionholders and
shall give each Optionholder the right to exercise his Option as to all of the
Shares covered by each outstanding Option, including Shares as to which any
Option would not otherwise be exercisable.

        13. EFFECTIVE DATE AND TERM OF PLAN. The Plan shall become effective
immediately upon the earlier of its adoption by the Board of its approval by the
stockholders or the Company in accordance with Section 15 hereof and shall
continue in effect for ten (10) years unless sooner terminated by the Board.
Except as otherwise provided in Section 12 and Section 15 hereof, the
termination or expiration of the Plan shall have no effect on any outstanding
Options.

        14. AMENDMENT OF THE PLAN. Provisions of the Plan concerning eligibility
for participation and the amount, price and timing of awards may not be amended
more than once every six months, other than to comport with changes in the
Internal Revenue Code, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, and the
rules thereunder. All amendments or modifications to the Plan shall require
approval of the holders of a majority of the outstanding Shares present, or
represented, and entitled to vote at a meeting of the Company's stockholders.
Any such amendment of the Plan shall not affect Options already granted and such
Options shall remain in full force and effect as if this Plan had not been
amended, unless otherwise mutually agreed between the Optionholder and the
Board, which agreement must be in writing and signed by the Optionholder and the
Company.


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<PAGE>   6

        15. STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL. Continuance of the Plan and the effectiveness
of any Option granted under the Plan shall be subject to stockholder approval of
the Plan no later than at the first annual meeting of stockholders held
subsequent to adoption of the Plan by the Board. If stockholder approval of the
Plan is obtained at a duly held stockholders' meeting, it may be obtained by the
affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the
Company present or represented and entitled to vote thereon. If, at the time the
Plan is presented for stockholder approval, the Company has registered any class
of equity security registered pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, such
stockholder approval shall be solicited in accordance with Section 14(a) of the
Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

        16. CHANGE IN CONTROL. In the event of a "Change in Control" (as
hereinafter defined), all Options outstanding shall be deemed fully vested
notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8(e) and thereafter each Optionholder
will have a period of ninety (90) days following the date such Optionholder
ceases to be a Director (but not later than ninety (90) days after the stated
term of the Option) in which to exercise in full such Optionholder's outstanding
Options. For purposes of this Section, "Change in Control" shall be deemed to
have occurred if (a) any "person" or group of "persons" (as the terms "person"
and "group" are used in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act and the
rules thereunder) is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of
securities of the Company representing 25% or more of the combined voting power
of the then outstanding securities of the Company (whether by purchase or
acquisition of such securities or by agreement to act in concert with respect to
the voting of such securities or otherwise); or (b) a majority of the Board of
Directors of the Company shall be comprised of persons who were not elected to
such offices as part of the "Company nominated slate" of directors (i.e., the
slate of nominees proposed by the Board of Directors in office immediately prior
to the election).


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                                    EXHIBIT A

                               OPTION CERTIFICATE


        THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 AND HAVE BEEN ACQUIRED FOR INVESTMENT AND NOT
WITH A VIEW TO, OR IN CONNECTION WITH, THE SALE OR DISTRIBUTION THEREOF. NO SUCH
SALE OR DISTRIBUTION MAY BE EFFECTED WITHOUT AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
RELATING THERETO OR AN OPINION OF COUNSEL SATISFACTORY TO THE COMPANY THAT SUCH
REGISTRATION IS NOT REQUIRED.


            Option to Purchase ______________ Shares of Common Stock


                         INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF
                              THE STATE OF DELAWARE
                             MAI SYSTEMS CORPORATION


                 Void after _____________________________, 19__


        THIS CERTIFICATE evidences the right of ______________________________
(the "Holder"), for value received, to purchase ____________________ shares of
Common Stock, $.01 par value (the "Shares"), of MAI Systems Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), at a price of $_______________ per Share
(the "Exercise Price") and subject in all respects to the terms, definitions and
provisions of the MAI Systems Non-Employee Directors' Option Plan (the "Plan")
which is incorporated herein. Unless the context herein otherwise requires, the
terms defined in the Plan shall have the same meaning when used herein.

        1. Term of Option. The Option may be exercised only during the period
commencing on ___________________________, 19__ through the close of business on
______________________, 19__, but not later than one year after the Holder
ceases to be a director of the Company (the "Option Term"), and may be exercised
only in accordance with the Plan and the terms and conditions hereinafter set
forth.


<PAGE>   8

        2. Exercise of Options. The Option shall be exercisable as follows:

           (a) Right to Exercise. From time to time during the Option Term, the
Holder shall have the right to exercise the Option to purchase the maximum
number of the Shares specified in the following table:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                           Aggregate Maximum No. of Shares
   Portion of Option Term                 for Which Options are Exercisable
   ----------------------                 ---------------------------------
<S>                                    <C>
    _____ through _____                _____less any Shares purchased
                                            upon previous exercise of the Option

    _____ through _____                _____less any Shares purchased
                                            upon previous exercise of the Option

    _____ through _____                _____less any Shares purchased
                                            upon previous exercise of the Option

    _____ through _____                _____less any Shares purchased
                                            upon previous exercise of the Option

    _____ through _____                _____less any Shares purchased
                                            upon previous exercise of the Option
</TABLE>


Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Holder shall cease to be a director of the
Company for any reason or no reason ("Termination"), whether such Termination is
permanent or temporary, then after the effective date of such Termination and
through the end of the Option Term, or one year after Holder has ceased to be a
director of the Company, whichever occurs first, the Holder may exercise the
Option to purchase only such number of Shares that the Holder would have been
entitled to purchase on the effective date of such Termination in accordance
with the foregoing table. To the extent that the Holder shall not have been
entitled to exercise any portion of the Option on the effective date of such
Termination, such portion shall be deemed to have expired unexercised on such
effective date.

           (b) Method of Exercise; Payment; Issuance of New Option; Transfer and
Exchange. The Option may be exercised by the Holder, in whole or in part, by the
surrender of this Certificate, properly endorsed, at the principal office of the
Company, by the payment to the Company by cash or check of the then applicable
Purchase Price. In the event of any exercise of the Option, certificates for the
Shares so purchased shall be delivered to the Holder within a reasonable time
after the Option shall have been so exercised and, unless the Option has
expired, a new Certificate representing the right to purchase the number of
Shares, if any, with respect to which the Option shall not then have been
exercised shall also be issued to the Holder within such time. All such new
certificates shall be dated the date hereof and shall be identical with this
Certificate except as to the number of Shares issuable pursuant thereto.


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<PAGE>   9

           (c) Restrictions on Exercise. The Option may be exercised only if the
issuance and delivery of the Shares pursuant thereto shall comply with all
relevant provisions of law, including, without limitation, the Securities Act of
1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, applicable state securities laws or
the rules and regulations of any stock exchange upon which the Shares may then
be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the
Company with respect to such compliance. As a condition to the exercise of the
Option, the Company may require the Holder to make such representations and
warranties to the Company as may be required by applicable law or regulation.

        3. Stock Fully Paid, Reservation of Shares. The Company covenants and
agrees that all Shares will, upon issuance and payment in accordance herewith,
be fully paid, validly issued and nonassessable. The Company further covenants
and agrees that during the Option Term, subject to obtaining stockholder
approval of the Plan, the Company will at all times have authorized, and
reserved for the purpose of the issue upon exercise of the Option, at least the
maximum number of Shares as are issuable upon the exercise of the Option.

        4. No Change in Certificate. The form of this Certificate need not be
changed because of any adjustment in the Exercise Price or in the number of
Shares purchasable on exercise of the Option. The Exercise Price or the number
of Shares shall be considered to have been so changed as of the close of
business on the date of adjustment.

        5. Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares will be issued in connection
with any exercise of the Option but, in lieu of such fractional Shares, the
Company shall make a cash payment therefor upon the basis of the fair market
value of the Shares.

        6. Nontransferability of Options. The Option may not be sold, pledged,
assigned, hypothecated, gifted, transferred or disposed of in any manner, in
whole or in part, either voluntarily or involuntarily by operation of law, other
than by will or the laws of descent or distribution, and may be exercised during
the lifetime of the Holder only by the Holder.

        7. No Rights as Stockholder. The Holder, as such, shall not be entitled
to vote or receive dividends or be considered a stockholder of the Company for
any purpose, nor shall anything in this Certificate be construed to confer on
such holder, as such, give or withhold consent to any corporate action, to
receive notice of meetings of stockholders, to receive dividends or subscription
rights or otherwise.

        8. Withholding Tax Liability. Upon exercise of the Option, the Company
and the Holder may incur liability for applicable state and federal income tax
withholding tax on the difference, if any, between the aggregate Purchase Price
and the then fair market value of the Shares acquired upon such exercise. The
Holder understands and agrees that the Company may be required to withhold part
or all of the Holder's director fees or other compensation paid by the Company
to pay the withholding tax and that if such fees or compensation is insufficient
the Company may require the Holder, as a condition to any exercise of the
Option, to pay in cash the amount of such withholding liability.


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        9. Acknowledgment of Receipt of Plan. The Holder hereby acknowledges
receipt of the Plan.

        10. Adjustments for Stock Splits, Etc.. Subject to any required action
by the stockholders of the Company, the number of Shares and the Exercise Price
shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or decrease in the number of
issued shares of Common Stock resulting from a stock split, stock dividend,
combination or reclassification of the Common Stock, or any other increase or
decrease in the number of shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of
consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any
convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been "effected
without receipt of consideration". Such adjustment shall be made by the Board,
whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive.
Except as provided herein, no issuance by the Company of shares of stock of any
class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall
affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the
number of Shares or the Exercise Price. In the event of the proposed dissolution
or liquidation of the Company, or in the event of a proposed sale of all or
substantially all of the stock or assets of the Company, or the merger,
consolidation or reorganization of the Company with or into another corporation,
the Option will terminate upon the effectiveness of such action, unless
otherwise provided by the Board. The Board may, in the exercise of its sole
discretion in such instances, declare that any Option shall terminate as of a
date fixed by the Board.


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