EXHIBIT 10.8

                                October 28, 1996


Mr. Andrew Wilson
29 Moore Court
Alameda, California 94502


Re:      Separation Agreement

Dear Andrew:

         As you are aware,  Oryx  Technology  Corp.  ("Oryx"  or "the  Company")
determined to terminate its employment  relationship  with you (also referred to
as "Wilson").  This letter agreement ("Agreement")  summarizes the understanding
that we have reached  regarding  your  departure as CFO  (including  all related
positions  held by you in various  subsidiaries)  and the  resolution of certain
claims arising out of that decision, which claims the Company expressly denies.

1. Your last day of active employment with the Company was October 14, 1996. You
have been paid for all unused  accrued  vacation  and time worked  through  that
date.  Upon  execution of this  Agreement and the  expiration of the  revocation
period  set  forth in  paragraph  11,  below,  you will  receive  the  following
payments:

         Four months  severance  payments in the amount of your ordinary monthly
salary  (less  all  applicable  withholdings)  at the same  rate as prior to the
termination, payable in the course of the Company's ordinary payroll date(s), to
begin once the Agreement  revocation  period described below has ended. You will
receive six months of Company medical, dental, and life insurance benefits, paid
by the Company on the same terms,  counted from your  separation date of October
14, 1996. You acknowledge  that these payments in this paragraph 1 are in excess
of any to which you would be entitled under Company policy.

2. You will continue to vest in Oryx stock options  previously granted to you by
the  Board of  Directors  until  October  14,  1997.  All such  options  will be
considered   "statutory"   options  after  the  October  14,  1996,   employment
termination date. The Company hereby extends the period of time within which the
vested options may be exercised until September 15, 1999.

3. You may continue to keep the computer and cellular telephone you have in your
possession, identified as __________________ and ______________________________,
however you acknowledge that are personally responsible for all bills or charges
incurred  with  respect to the use of such items.  You further  acknowledge  and
agree to maintain the  confidentiality of any Company  information  contained on
the computer.

4. You will make  yourself  available  to the  company  for  consultation  on an
as-needed basis at a rate of $75.00 per hour.

5. (a) In consideration for the promises made by Oryx in this Agreement,  you on
behalf of yourself, your agents,  assignees,  attorneys,  heirs, executors,  and
administrators,  hereby  fully and forever  release and  discharge  Oryx and its
respective successors,  assigns, parents, subsidiaries,  divisions,  affiliates,
officers, directors, shareholders, employees, heirs, agents and representatives,
from any and all claims  (which  term  includes  demands,  actions and causes of
action) of every kind or nature whatsoever, past, present or future, arising out
of or in connection  with your employment or termination of such employment with
Oryx.  These  claims  include,  but are not  limited  to, any claims of personal
injury and charges of employment  discrimination in violation of state,  federal
or local law, including, but not limited to the Americans with Disabilities Act,
Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Older Workers' Benefit Protection Act,
and  Title VII of the  Civil  Rights  Act,  and any  other  claims  of  wrongful
termination under state or federal law.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  nothing
in this paragraph  shall preclude you from bringing any claim in the future with
respect to your retirement benefits or for  indemnification  sought by you as an
officer  of the  Company  for  claims  brought  against  you on  account of your
position as an officer of Oryx under Delaware law.

         (b) In  consideration  for the promises made by you in this  Agreement,
Oryx  on  behalf  of  itself,  its  respective  successors,   assigns,  parents,
subsidiaries,   divisions,   affiliates,   officers,  directors,   shareholders,
employees, heirs, agents and representatives,  hereby fully and forever releases
and discharges you and your agents, assignees,  attorneys, heirs, executors, and
administrators from any and all claims (which term includes demands, actions and
causes of action) of every kind or nature  whatsoever,  past, present or future,
arising out of or in  connection  with your  employment or  termination  of such
employment with Oryx, excluding those claims for intentional misconduct.

6.  Except  as  qualified  above in  sub-paragraphs  5 (a) and (b),  each  party
respectively  expressly waives all rights and remedies under Section 1542 of the
Civil Code of the State of California which provides as follows:

                  A general release does not extend to claims which the creditor
                  does not know or  suspect to exist in its favor at the time of
                  executing  the  release,  which  if  known  by  it  must  have
                  materially affected its settlement with the debtor.

Each party understands that if the facts with respect to which this Agreement is
executed are found hereafter to be different from the facts which such party now
believes to be true, each party  expressly  accepts and assumes the risk of such
possible  differences in facts and agree that this Agreement shall be and remain
effective notwithstanding such differences in facts.

7.  Each  party  covenants  and  agrees  that  it (he)  will  not  ever,  either
individually, or with any person or in any way, commence, aid in any way, except
as required by due legal  process,  prosecute or cause or permit to be commenced
or  prosecuted  against  any  of the  persons  released,  any  action  or  other
proceeding based upon any claim which is the subject of the Agreement.

8.  Wilson  further  understands  and  agrees  that  during  the  course  of his
employment he executed a confidentiality  and trade secret agreement and that he
has had access to  proprietary  or  confidential  information  belonging to Oryx
including,  but not limited to, technical data, research and development,  plans
and results,  sales and customer data, overall marketing and sales programs, and
financial and planning data. Wilson acknowledges that his obligation to maintain
the confidentiality of such information continues after his employment with Oryx
ends, and that he will not disclose,  transfer, publish or otherwise use, either
directly or indirectly,  any of such information that is proprietary to Oryx and
maintained by it as confidential,  for so long as such information is not in the
public domain.  Wilson  understands that a breach of his obligations  under this
Paragraph  could  cause the Company  irreparable  harm for which the Company may
seek injunctive  relief.  Wilson further understand that if there is a violation
of this Paragraph during the period of salary continuation, all further payments
shall cease and Wilson shall have no further entitlement to such payments.

9. Both Wilson and Oryx agree that neither of them shall  disparage the other to
any third party. In the event that the Company receives any inquiries concerning
Wilson's  employment,  it shall not release any information  other than Wilson's
dates of employment,  job title, last salary. Wilson further agrees that he will
not discuss any of Oryx's  personnel or business with any third party or parties
excluding that which is necessary in connection with his job search.

10. This  Agreement is entered into by Oryx without any  admission of liability,
but  solely for the  purpose  of  avoiding  uncertainty,  controversy  and legal
expense.

11. By entering into this Agreement,  Wilson  understands that he is not waiving
any  rights  that  he  may  have  under  either  the  California   Labor  and/or
Corporations  Codes with respect to  indemnification  for acts or omissions that
occurred within the course and scope of his employment.

12. If any  withholding  or income tax liability is imposed upon Wilson based on
the sums  provided  herein,  Wilson  understands  that  Wilson  shall be  solely
responsible for paying any such determined  liability from any government agency
(including any penalties and surcharges  assessed  against  Wilson),  other than
those taxes that are ordinarily owed by the employer, such as FICA.

13. Wilson  acknowledges  that he is aware that under the Older Workers' Benefit
Protection  Act, he has twenty-one (21) calendar days to decide whether to enter
into this  Agreement,  which was  originally  provided  to Wilson on October 25,
1996. Wilson further acknowledges that he is aware that under the Older Workers'
Benefit  Protection Act he may revoke this  Agreement  within seven (7) calendar
days after it is signed.  Wilson further agrees that this Agreement shall not be
effective  until after this  revocation  period has expired and that he is aware
that in the event Wilson  timely  exercises his right of rescission he will have
no rights under this Agreement.

14. This  Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of and be binding on each of the
parties hereto and on their successors, heirs and assigns.

15. This Agreement shall in all respects be  interpreted,  enforced and governed
under the laws of the State of California.

16. The parties  agree that with  respect to any  controversy  arising out of or
relating to this  Agreement,  or the subject matter  thereof,  such  controversy
shall be settled before a single arbitrator by final and binding  arbitration in
San  Francisco,  California,  in accordance  with the  then-existing  rules (the
"Rules") of the American  Arbitration  Association ("AAA") and judgment upon the
award  rendered  by  the   arbitrators  may  be  entered  in  any  court  having
jurisdiction  thereof;  provided,  however,  that  the  law  applicable  to  any
controversy  shall  be  the  law  of  California,   regardless  of  its  or  any
jurisdiction's choice of law principles.  In any such arbitration,  no discovery
shall be permitted and the maximum  number of hearing days shall be two (2). The
award or decision  shall be rendered  within  fourteen  (14) days after the last
hearing date.  The arbitrator  shall be appointed by the AAA in accordance  with
the Rules.  Any award made in  Wilson's  favor shall be limited to a recovery of
contract damages limited to foreseeable  damages which are a direct  consequence
of a  breach  of this  Agreement;  the  arbitrator  is not  empowered  to  award
compensatory or punitive damages.  The arbitrators are empowered to award to the
prevailing  party  or  parties  all  expenses  of  said  arbitration,  including
reasonable attorneys' fees.

17. If any party hereto shall commence any other legal  proceedings  against any
other  party  hereto  with  respect  to any of the terms or  conditions  of this
Agreement, the non-prevailing party or parties shall pay to the prevailing party
or parties all  expenses of said  litigation,  including  reasonable  attorneys,
fees.

18. This Agreement  contains the entire Agreement and  understanding  concerning
the  subject   matter   between  us  and   supersedes  and  replaces  all  prior
negotiations.

EACH PARTY  AGREES  THAT IT (HE) HAS HAD THE  OPPORTUNITY  TO  CONSULT  WITH THE
ADVISOR(S)  OF ITS (HIS) CHOICE AND IS ENTERING INTO THIS  AGREEMENT  FREELY AND
VOLUNTARILY.




ANDREW WILSON, an individual               ORYX TECHNOLOGY CORP.

/s/ Andrew Wilson                          By: /s/ Arvind Patel ________________
                                                               (Signature)

Dated:  10/31/96                           Title: CEO _______________________

                                           Dated: 10/28/96___________________