[GRAPHIC OMITTED]
                            CUSTOM CONTENT AGREEMENT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AGREEMENT TO PURCHASE.  This Agreement is entered into as of January 19, 2000 by
ScreamingMedia.com,  Inc.  ("Company" or "we") and The  ("Client" or "you").  We
hereby  agree to sell and you agree to  purchase  the  custom-tailored  news and
information identified on Schedule A attached hereto ("Custom Content").  Client
agrees to pay Company the fees and Company  agrees to deliver the Custom Content
to the  Client's  web site (the "web  site") as set forth in  Schedule A hereto.
Client may order additional Custom Content from time to time by executing one or
more supplemental purchase agreements that will reference this Master Agreement.

LIMITED SOFTWARE LICENSE. We hereby grant you a non-exclusive,  non-transferable
license  during  the term of this  Agreement  to use the  Company's  SiteWare(R)
software for the purposes set forth herein. Client's use of SiteWare(R) shall be
limited to internal use in connection  with the  publication  and display of the
Custom Content on Client's Web Site.

COMPANY'S  OBLIGATIONS.  We will design and build one or more custom filters and
deliver a copy of SiteWare(R) to you within seven (7) business days of receiving
your completed technical  questionnaire.  Company warrants that it maintains the
necessary  licenses,  rights, and powers to distribute the Custom Content as set
forth in this agreement.  We will correct any interruption to the Custom Content
service  within one  business  day of  receiving  notification  from you of such
interruption, unless such interruption is precipitated by a Force Majeure as set
forth  herein.  We  will  promptly  notify  you of any  known  material  errors,
inaccuracies,   or  omissions  in  the  Custom  Content  and  provide  you  with
appropriate  corrections thereto as promptly as possible.

CLIENT'S  OBLIGATIONS.  You  will  use  best  efforts  to  fulfill  each  of the
obligations  outlined in Schedule A hereto.  You will promptly  notify us of any
known  material  errors,  inaccuracies,  or omissions in the Custom Content that
come to your  attention and upon your receipt from us of any  corrections to the
Custom Content, promptly implement such corrections on your Web Site.

TERM. The initial term of this Agreement (the "Initial  Term") shall commence on
the date set forth above and extend for twelve (12) months from the first day of
the calendar  month  immediately  following the date on which the Custom Content
service is scheduled to begin, as set forth in Schedule A (the "Start-Up Date").
The  Initial  Term (and any  subsequent  terms)  shall  automatically  renew for
additional  terms of one year unless either party gives the other written notice
of  termination  not  less  than  thirty  (30)  days  prior  to  the  end of the
then-current term.

TERMINATION.  This Master  Agreement and any  supplemental  purchase  agreements
(collectively,  the "Agreement") shall remain in force until terminated. You may
terminate  the  Agreement  during the Initial Term at any time after ninety (90)
days  beyond the  Start-Up  Date by  providing  us with  ninety  (90) days prior
written notice.

OWNERSHIP AND  COPYRIGHT.  You may only display the Custom  Content to which you
have  subscribed  and you may only display such Custom Content on your Web Site.
You may not edit or alter  the  Custom  Content  in any  manner  or  create  any
derivative  works  therefrom.  You acknowledge  that the Custom Content contains
material that is protected by copyright,  trademark, or other proprietary rights
of and owned by our third party content providers (the "Content Providers"). You
acknowledge  that  ScreamingMedia  and the Content  Providers  retain all right,
title and interest,  including  copyright in all material included in the Custom
Content.  You  agree  to  comply  with all  copyright  notices,  information  or
restrictions  contained in any Custom Content. You may not copy, license,  sell,
resell, transfer, make available or otherwise distribute the Custom Content. You
will use best efforts to stop any  unauthorized  copying or  distribution of the
Custom Content.

ARCHIVE  RIGHTS.  You may  archive  any item of Custom  Content  on the Web Site
and/or  database  system for thirty (30) days after  delivery  of such item,  at
which  time (i) your  archive  rights to such item will  terminate  and (ii) you
shall  delete such item from your Web Site  and/or  database  system,  including
Internet, extranet and/or intranet locations.

WARRANTY.  Company warrants that it maintains the necessary licenses, rights and
powers to distribute the custom content as set forth herein. The delivery of the
custom content is on an "as is" basis.  ScreamingMedia and its content providers
disclaim  any and all  warranties,  including  but not  limited  to the  implied
warranties of fitness and merchantability for a particular purpose,  relating to
this  agreement,  the  service,  the Custom  Content or  performance  under this
agreement.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY.  Neither ScreamingMedia nor its Content Providers shall
be liable  for any  indirect,  incidental,  special  or  consequential  damages,
including lost profits, whether or not foreseeable, arising under this Agreement
or performance  under this Agreement,  whether or not the company or the content
providers had any knowledge, actual or constructive,  that such damages might be
incurred, based on breach of warranty, contract, negligence or strict liability,
except that ScreamingMedia and the Content Providers will indemnify, defend, and
hold harmless Client against any and all claims made against Client which have a
basis in  allegations  of violation of copyright or  intellectual  property laws
arising from Client's use of the custom content as herein described.

INDEMNIFICATION.  We shall  defend,  indemnify  and hold you  harmless  from and
against any and all third party claims or actions  resulting in liabilities  and
arising out of the  licenses  granted  hereunder,  including  but not limited to
claims  against you for  violation of  intellectual  property  rights  including
trademark or copyright misappropriation or infringement. The foregoing indemnity
shall not be applicable for any claim or action that arises from your negligence
or misconduct.
<TABLE>
MISCELLANEOUS. Neither party shall be liable for any delay or failure to perform
under  this  Agreement  if caused  by  conditions  beyond  its  control  ("Force
Majeure")  but no such  event  shall  relieve  you of your  obligations  to make
payment to ScreamingMedia.  The affected  performing party shall promptly notify
the other  party of the nature and  anticipated  length of  continuance  of such
Force Majeure.  If such failure continues for more than one month,  either party
may  terminate  this  agreement.  This  Agreement is governed by the laws of the
State of New York without regard to principles of conflicts of laws. The parties
agree to submit to the  jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the
Southern  District  of New York in respect  of  litigation  arising  out of this
agreement,   waiving  all   affirmative   and  legal   defenses  in  respect  of
jurisdiction,  forum and venue. All notices under this Agreement must be made in
writing  and sent via first  class mail,  facsimile  or e-mail as listed  below.
<CAPTION>
[Client]                                                                 [Company]  ScreamingMedia.com, Inc.
<S>             <C>                                                                 <C>
Signature:      /s/ Hans Nehme Signature:                                           /s/ Alan Ellman
                ---------------------------------------------------                 ------------------------------------------------
Name/Title:     President                                              Name/Title:  Alan Ellman / President
                ---------------------------------------------------                 ------------------------------------------------
Address:        5810 Christie Ave. Ste. 390                               Address:  601 W. 26th Street, 13th Floor
                Emeryville, CA 94608                                                New York, NY 10001 USA
                ---------------------------------------------------                 ------------------------------------------------
Fax:                                                                          Fax:  212.691.1483
                ---------------------------------------------------                 ------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     ScreamingMedia.com, Inc. o 601 W. 26th Street, 13th Floor o New York, NY 10001 USA o 212.691.7900 o Fax 212.691.1483

<PAGE>

                                                          [GRAPHIC OMITTED]
                                                      CUSTOM CONTENT AGREEMENT
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Email:          hnehme@vertica.com                                          Email:  legal@screamingmedia.net
                ---------------------------------------------------                 ------------------------------------------------



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        ScreamingMedia.com, Inc. o 601 W. 26th Street, 13th Floor o New York, NY 10001 USA o 212.691.7900 o Fax 212.691.1483
</TABLE>

<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                      [GRAPHIC OMITTED]
                                                         SCHEDULE A
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>             <C>                                  <C>                                  <C>
CLIENT INFORMATION

Company:                           Vertica Software
                                   --------------------------------------------------------
Division:
                                   --------------------------------------------------------
Web Site URL that will
receive the Custom Content:
                                   --------------------------------------------------------
Full Billing Address:
                                   --------------------------------------------------------

                                   --------------------------------------------------------

CONTACT INFORMATION

                       Primary Contact               Billing Contact (if different)       Technical Contact (if different)
Name:          Hans Nehme                           Same                                  Erick Ahrens
               ---------------------------------    ----------------------------------    ----------------------------------
Title:         President                                                                  VP of R & D
               ---------------------------------    ----------------------------------    ----------------------------------
Phone:         510-595-3333
               ---------------------------------    ----------------------------------    ----------------------------------
Fax:
               ---------------------------------    ----------------------------------    ----------------------------------
Email:         hnehme@vertica.com
               ---------------------------------    ----------------------------------    ----------------------------------

SERVICE SET-UP

Number of Filters:                                     6 (2 FREE)
Custom Filter Set-Up Fee ($250/Filter):              $ 1000                       one-time fee
Client Set-Up Fee ($2,750 one-time fee):             $ 2500                       one-time fee
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Set-Up Fee:                                    $ 3500                       one-time fee

CUSTOM CONTENT SERVICE

Monthly article limit:                               1050
Monthly Fee:                                         $3660
Price/article if monthly article limit is exceeded   3.85

                    13Th Month FREE. The client will be billed from former pricing  models,  if client chooses to publish 60
                    stories per day, client will have rights to 1550 stories at $4600 per month.

Special Notes:      The Terms in this Schedule A will expire 5 calendar days after January 19, 2000.
                    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

DATES AND OBLIGATIONS; BILLING SCHEDULE

1. You will be invoiced  for the amount of the Total Set-Up Fee upon our receipt
from you of an  executed  copy of the  Master  Agreement  with this  Schedule  A
attached.  The  invoice for the Total  Set-Up Fee is payable in US Dollars  upon
receipt.  Delivery of the Custom  Content will be withheld  until payment of the
Total Set-Up Fee is received in full.

2. You agree to make your Technical Contact  (designated  above) available for a
phone  call with one of our sales  engineers  for  purposes  of  completing  our
technical  questionnaire within three (3) business days after the date set forth
in Section 1 of the Master Agreement.

3. We will  deliver  to you a copy of  SiteWare(R)  software  within  seven  (7)
business  days  of your  completion  of the  technical  questionnaire.

4. Your Start-Up Date is__3/1/00____. Billing for Custom Content Service Monthly
Fee will  begin on the  earlier to occur of (i) the  Start-Up  Date and (ii) the
date on which Custom  Content is first  delivered  to the Web Site.  You will be
billed on this date on a  pro-rated  basis for any time  remaining  in the first
month, and you will be billed for each subsequent month at the beginning of such
month.  Each invoice for the Custom Content Monthly Fee is payable in US Dollars
within  fifteen  (15)  days of the date on the  invoice.

5. The Terms in this  Schedule A will expire 5 calendar  days after  January 19,
2000.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            ScreamingMedia.com, Inc. o 601 W. 26th Street, 13th Floor
            New York, NY 10001 USA o 212.691.7900 o Fax 212.691.1483