<PAGE>
 
                                 Exhibit 10.51
                                        
            Amendment to Master Distribution and License Agreement
            ------------------------------------------------------

             This Amendment is made this 14th day of February 1997


BY AND BETWEEN:


1.     IBM Ireland Limited (formerly IBM Ireland Information Services Limited)
       whose registered office is at 2 Burlington Road, Dublin 4, Eire ("IISL")

AND

2.     Seer Technologies, Inc., whose principal office is at 8000 Regency
       Parkway, Suite 300, Cary, N.C. 27511, USA ("Seer")


PREAMBLE:


A.     On 6th April 1992, IISL and Seer entered into a Master Distribution and
       License Agreement ("MDLA"). The MDLA specifies the terms and conditions
       governing the marketing, distribution, training, maintenance and support
       of Seer's HPS Software and Additional Software by IISL to third parties
       in EMEA.

B.     Article 6.2.3 thereof concerns the support and maintenance services
       supplied by IISL on behalf of Seer (or on behalf of an Affliated IBM
       Company) to third parties in EMEA. Such support and maintenance services
       are specified in Attachment 5 of the MDLA.

C.     Article 9 sets out, in detail, the provisions concerning the calculation
       and payment of fees by Seer to IISL, for the support and maintenance
       services referred to in Recital B above.

D.     The parties acknowledge that the provisions in Article 9 are both complex
       and out of date. Accordingly the parties have agreed to amend these
       provisions, together with certain other provisions of the MDLA as
       follows:


TERMS AGREED:

1.     INTERPRETATION
---------------------


1.1    Save as expressly provided below, in interpreting this Amendment all
       terms used shall bear the same meaning as defined in the MDLA.

1.2    References in this Amendment to:

1.2.1  "Agreement" shall mean the MDLA and Attachments 1 - 6 thereof;

1.2.2  "Article" shall refer to the corresponding terms and conditions of the
       MDLA; and

1.2.3  "Attachment" shall refer to the corresponding attachment to the MDLA.

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<PAGE>
 
1.2.4    "Services" shall mean, individually and collectively, the Level 1 and
         Level 2 support services for HPS Software and Additional Software as
         supplied by IISL or Affiliated IBM Company to Customers on Seer's
         behalf, and as more particularly described in Article 6.2.3 and
         Attachment 5, or any part thereof.

1.2.5    "Customer" shall refer to those customers in EMEA where Seer has, at
         its sole option, decided that the Services shall be supplied by IISL or
         Affiliated IBM Company, and to no other customer.

2.       TERM & TERMINATION (Article 4.1)
-----------------------------------------

2.1      Article 4.1 is replaced in its entirety with the following:

         "This Agreement as amended shall remain in force from 1st January 1997
         until 31st December 1999 ("Period"). Thereafter this Agreement as
         amended shall remain in force for successive periods of 12 months
         ("Extension") PROVIDED ALWAYS THAT the charges and payment terms have
         been agreed by the parties in writing prior to the expiry of the Period
         or any Extension thereof, whichever is appropriate.

         "This Agreement may be terminated by either party upon not less than 90
         days prior written notice to take effect on 31st December 1999 or at
         any time thereafter."

3.       PAYMENT (Article 9)
----------------------------

3.1      Article 9 is replaced in its entirety with the following:

         "All charges payable by Seer and concerning the supply of Services by
         IISL to Customers, may be invoiced quarterly in advance on or after the
         dates specified in the Payment Schedule below. All such charges are
         specified in the Payment Schedule and are fixed. Accordingly the
         charges shall apply irrespective of the number or type of Customers
         using the Services.

         "Payment Schedule:
<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 

         ------------------------------------ ------------------------------------- ------------------------
                         Period                               Invoice                  Payment Date
         ------------------------------------ -------------------- ----------------    (Note 5 below)
           Calendar     Quarter                  Amount (US$)         Invoice      
           Year                                  (Note 1 below)       Date
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ------------------------
          <S>           <C>                      <C>                  <C>              <C>   
           1997         1st January 1997 -       367,000              1st February     28th February 1997
                        31st March 1997                               1997
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ------------------------
                        1st April 1997 -         367,000              1st April 1997   30th April 1997
                        30th June 1997
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ------------------------
                        1st July 1997 -          366,000              1st July 1997    31st July 1997
                        30th September 1997
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ------------------------
                        1st October 1997 -       900,000              1st October      See Note 2 below
                        31st December 1997                            1997
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ------------------------
</TABLE> 

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<PAGE>
 
<TABLE> 

<CAPTION> 

         ------------------------------------ ------------------------------------- ---------------------
                         Period                               Invoice                 Payment Date
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ----------------   (Note 5 below)
           Calendar     Quarter                 Amount (US$)         Invoice          
           Year                                 (Note 1 below)       Date 
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
         <S>            <C>                     <C>                  <C>              <C>   
           1998         1st January 1998 -      400,000              1st January      31st January 1998
                        31st March 1998                              1998
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
                        1st April 1998 -        400,000              1st April 1998   30th April 1998
                        30th June 1998
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
                        1st July 1998 -         400,000              1st July 1998    31st July 1998
                        30th September 1998
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
                        1st October 1998 -      900,000              1st October      See Note 3 below
                        31st December 1998                           1998             
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
           1999         1st January 1999 -      400,000              1st January      31st January 1999
                        31st March 1999                              1999
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
                        1st April 1999 -        400,000              1st April 1999   30th April 1999
                        30th June 1999
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
                        1st July 1999 -         400,000              1st July 1999    31st July 1999
                        30th September 1999
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
                        1st October 1999-       900,000              1st October      See Note 4 below
                        31st December 1999                           1999
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
         ------------ ----------------------- -------------------- ---------------- ---------------------
</TABLE> 

         Notes:
         ------

         1.       Notwithstanding the use of United States Dollars in the above
                  table, IISL shall invoice Seer in Irish Pounds using the
                  exchange rate specified in the Wall Street Journal on the last
                  working day immediately preceding the relevant Invoice Date.

         2.       Payment of this invoice shall be in three equal instalments
                  over a five (5) month period following the Invoice Date as
                  follows:
<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 
                       --------------------- ---------------------------
                        Amount (US$) *        Payment Date
                       --------------------- ---------------------------
                        <S>                   <C> 
                        300,000               31st October 1997
                       --------------------- ---------------------------
                        300,000               31st December 1997
                       --------------------- ---------------------------
                        300,000               28th February 1998
                       --------------------- ---------------------------
</TABLE> 
                  *        Note 1 above applies.

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          3.   Payment of this invoice shall be in three equal instalments over
               a five (5) month period following the Invoice Date as follows:

<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 
                    ---------------------- ---------------------------
                     Amount (US$) *         Payment Date
                    ---------------------- ---------------------------
                     <S>                    <C> 
                     300,000                31st October 1998
                    ---------------------- ---------------------------
                     300,000                31st December 1998
                    ---------------------- ---------------------------
                     300,000                28th February 1999
                    ---------------------- ---------------------------
</TABLE> 
                  *        Note 1 above applies.

          4.   Payment of this invoice shall be in three equal instalments over
               a five (5) month period following the Invoice Date as follows:

<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 
                    ---------------------- ---------------------------
                     Amount (US$) *         Payment Date
                    ---------------------- ---------------------------
                    <S>                    <C> 
                     300,000                31st October 1999
                    ---------------------- ---------------------------
                     300,000                31st December 1999
                    ---------------------- ---------------------------
                     300,000                28th February 2000
                    ---------------------- ---------------------------
</TABLE> 
                  *        Note 1 above applies.

          5.   IISL reserves the right to apply interest on any arrears in
               payment at a simple rate of 1% of the amount unpaid per calendar
               month or part thereof.


3.2       Seer shall pay to IISL the sum of Irish(Pounds)494,903, in respect of
          Services supplied or due and where IISL has invoiced Seer prior to the
          date of this Amendment. This amount shall be paid in three (3) equal
          instalments as follows:
<TABLE> 
<CAPTION> 
                    ------------------------  ---------------------------
                     Amount (Irish (Pounds))         Payment Date        
                    ------------------------  ---------------------------
                     <S>                       <C>                       
                     164,969                   See Note below            
                    ------------------------  ---------------------------
                     164,967                   30th April 1997           
                    ------------------------  ---------------------------
                     164,967                   31st July 1997            
                    ------------------------  --------------------------- 
</TABLE> 
                    Note:  This instalment shall be paid on 31st January 1997
                    ----    
                    or upon execution of this Amendment, whichever is the later.

         IISL acknowledges and represents that no further payments shall be due
         in respect of any Services other than those expressly provided for in
         this Amendment.

4.       Miscellaneous:
----------------------

4.1      In Article 16.5 (Notices) references to "Nancy Valmassoi" shall be
         deleted. Reference to "Steven Dmiszewicki, Controller" shall be
         replaced by "Financial Controller." Reference to "Colman O'Sullivan"
         shall be deleted and the address of IISL shall be replaced by "2
         Burlington Road, Dublin 4, Ireland."


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4.2      In Attachment 2 (IBM EMEA Countries) delete:

         "Yugoslavia", "Iraq" and "CIS" and replace "Czechoslovakia" with "The
         Czech Republic" and "Slovakia"

4.3      Attachment 6 is deleted.

4.4      Both parties acknowledge that an international marketing fund as
         contemplated in Article 8.2 of the Agreement is no longer required, and
         accordingly Articles 8.2 and 9.6 are hereby deleted.

4.5      This Amendment supersedes and replaces the letter dated 30th December
         1996 from Seer to IISL, terminating the MDLA in accordance with Article
         4.1. Upon execution of this Amendment this letter shall cease to have
         any force or effect.

4.6      Both parties acknowledge that, upon execution of this Amendment, this
         Amendment complies in full with the provisions set out in Article
         16.10.

4.7      Save as expressly provided above the Agreement shall remain in full
         force and effect. In the event of any conflict between the Agreement
         and this Amendment, the latter shall prevail.



SIGNED BY:

On behalf of IBM Ireland Limited:       On behalf of Seer Technologies, Inc:

BY: /s/ Patrick O'Connor                BY: /s/ Dennis McKinnie

NAME: Patrick O'Connor                  NAME: Dennis McKinnie

TITLE: Managing Director                TITLE: V.P. and General Counsel

DATE: 2/14/97                           DATE: 2/20/97


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