Exhibit 10.43

                    SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE

         This Separation Agreement and General Release ("Agreement") is made and
entered into this 1st day of September, 1999 by and between Object Design, Inc.,
a Delaware  Corporation  ("ODI"),  and Kirk Bowman, an individual residing at 10
Old Colony Road, Weston, MA 02193, ("Bowman").

                         W I T N E S S E T H   T H A T:

WHEREAS,  ODI has employed  Bowman most  recently as Senior Vice  President  and
General Manager, ObjectStore Division; and

WHEREAS,  ODI and  Bowman  wish to set  forth the  terms of the  termination  of
Bowman's employment with ODI;

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency
of which are hereby acknowledged, ODI and Bowman hereby agree as follows:

         1. Bowman hereby agrees to resign as Senior Vice  President and General
Manager, ObjectStore Division of ODI, effective as of September 30, 1999. At the
request of ODI,  Bowman will  execute  and deliver to ODI a separate  instrument
embodying such resignation.

         2. ODI agrees to pay  Bowman an amount of  $29,166.66  per month,  less
applicable  deductions  for a period of six (6)  months,  and ODI shall  provide
Bowman  with  medical and dental  insurance  coverage on the same basis as if he
were still employed by ODI, less Bowman's applicable contribution,  for a period
of six  (6)  months  following  the  effective  date of  termination;  provided,
however,  that if  Bowman  becomes  re-employed  with  another  employer  and is
eligible to receive such  insurance  coverage  under  another  employer-provided
plan, ODI's  contribution  toward the insurance  coverage set forth herein shall
terminate  unless  Bowman  elects to continue  such  Coverage,  at Bowman's sole
expense.  Notwithstanding and in replacement of the foregoing, in the event that
ODI reaches a definitive agreement, prior to September 30, 1999, to be acquired,
and further  conditioned upon the final  consummation of such  acquisition,  ODI
agrees to pay  Bowman  an  amount  of  $19,583.33  per  month,  less  applicable
deductions for a period of twelve (12) months, and ODI shall provide Bowman with
medical and dental  coverage  on the same basis as if he were still  employed by
ODI, less Bowman's applicable  contribution,  for a period of twelve (12) months
following the effective date of termination,  provided,  however, that if Bowman
becomes  re-employed  with  another  employer  and is eligible  to receive  such
insurance  coverage under another  employer-provided  plan,  ODI's  contribution
toward the  insurance  coverage set forth herein shall  terminate  unless Bowman
elects to continue such coverage, at Bowman's sole expense.

         3. ODI agrees that Bowman may retain the personal  computer provided to
him during his employment with ODI,  provided that Bowman pays ODI $700 for such
computer  and  further  provided  that  Bowman  agrees and  acknowledges  by his
signature below that (i) all Confidential  Information and material belonging to
ODI, including without limitation all software,  documentation,  records, forms,
customer lists and data,  has been removed and deleted from such computer;  (ii)
Bowman has ceased any and all utilization of such  Confidential  Information and
material; and (iii) no copies of such Confidential Information and material have
been made. In addition,  ODI agrees to provide Bowman with voice-mail and e-mail
facilities until the effective date of termination.

         5. All options which have heretofore been granted to Bowman under ODI's
1996 Stock Incentive and Nonqualified Stock Option Plan, 1995 Nonqualified Stock
Option Plan, 1989 Stock Incentive and Nonqualified Stock Option Plan and/or 1996
Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Options")  shall be exercisable,  and expire,
in accordance with their terms in effect as of the date of this Agreement.


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         6. Bowman hereby  acknowledges  and ratifies his obligations  under the
NON-COMPETITION,  NON-SOLICITATION,  NON-DISCLOSURE AND DEVELOPMENTS  AGREEMENT,
dated  November  19,  1998  between  Bowman and ODI, a copy of which is attached
hereto and  incorporated  herein by reference,  and Bowman  further agrees to be
bound by the terms thereof.

     7.  Bowman,  for good and  valuable  consideration  the receipt of which is
hereby acknowledged, for himself and his legal representatives,  successors, and
assigns hereby releases,  remises,  and forever discharges ODI, its subsidiaries
and affiliates,  and their respective past, present and future agents, officers,
directors, shareholders, attorneys, employees, servants, and representatives and
all of ODI's successors,  predecessors,  and assigns,  of and from all manner of
actions,  causes of actions,  suits, debts, demands,  damages,  costs, expenses,
attorneys' fees,  obligations,  agreements,  and claims  whatsoever,  at law, in
equity, or otherwise, known or unknown, which Bowman has or may have, either now
or at any time before the date of this Agreement, against ODI, including but not
limited  to any  claims  arising  out  of or in  any  way  related  to  Bowman's
employment by ODI,  Bowman's  resignation  as Senior Vice  President and General
Manager,  ObjectStore  Division  of ODI,  and/or  the  termination  of  Bowman's
employment  by ODI;  provided,  however,  that any claims  that  Bowman may make
against ODI for breach of this  Agreement  are  specifically  exempted from this
release.  Bowman  acknowledges  and agrees that the  payments and benefits to be
made to Bowman  pursuant to this Agreement are over and above any other money or
benefits that would be due to Bowman under the terms of his employment  with ODI
and ODI's usual policies and practices.

         8. Bowman and ODI hereby agree to be publicly supportive of each other.
Bowman agrees not to criticize, disparage or otherwise comment negatively about,
orally or in writing, directly or indirectly, ODI, its subsidiaries,  affiliates
or  any of  their  respective  past,  present  or  future  officers,  directors,
employees,  agents,  businesses,  products or services. Bowman agrees to use his
best  efforts to ensure that none of the members of his family so  criticize  or
disparage any of such persons or entities.  Bowman  further agrees that he shall
be publicly and  privately  cooperative  and  supportive of ODI in regard to its
personnel, corporate practices and policies and other matters. ODI agrees not to
disparage  or make  negative  statements  about  Bowman and to be  publicly  and
privately cooperative and supportive of Bowman in regard to his transition.

         9. Bowman  agrees  that,  except as may be required by law or as may be
mutually  agreed,  Bowman will keep the terms and  existence  of this  Agreement
completely  and  strictly  confidential,  and that  Bowman  will  not  hereafter
disclose any  information  concerning  this  Agreement to anyone,  except to the
extent necessary to enforce this Agreement.

         10. With the exception of the personal computer set forth above, Bowman
agrees to return any and all property, whether tangible or intangible,  provided
to Bowman by ODI, as a condition precedent to ODI's obligations hereunder.

         11.  This   Agreement   and  the   NON-COMPETITION,   NON-SOLICITATION,
NON-DISCLOSURE AND DEVELOPMENTS AGREEMENT,  attached hereto, embodies the entire
understanding and agreement  between the parties,  and supersedes all other oral
or written  agreements  or  understandings  between  the parties  regarding  the
subject matter hereof,  including without limitation any terms and conditions of
any employment agreement or other similar agreement(s),  and it shall be binding
and inure to the  benefit of the  successors  and  assigns  of each.  No change,
alteration or modification hereof may be made except in a writing signed by both
parties  hereto.  This  Agreement and the rights and  obligations of the parties
hereunder  shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of The
Commonwealth of  Massachusetts  (disregarding  any choice of law rules which may
look to the laws of any other jurisdiction).


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         12. The  parties  represent  and  acknowledge  that in  executing  this
Agreement they do not rely and have not relied upon any other  representation or
statement made by any person or entity with regard to the subject matter, basis,
or effect of this Agreement, with the sole exception of the provisions set forth
herein.  Mistakes of fact or law shall not constitute  grounds for modification,
avoidance or rescission of the terms and conditions of this Agreement.  The fact
that a party or counsel for a party  drafted a provision or  provisions  of this
Agreement  shall not cause that  provision or those  provisions  to be construed
against the drafting party.

         13. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of
which when so executed  shall be deemed an original,  but all of which  together
shall constitute one and the same instrument.

         14. In entering into this  Agreement,  the parties  represent that they
have had the  opportunity to seek the advice of legal counsel and that the terms
of the Agreement have been  completely read and explained to them and that those
terms are fully understood and voluntarily agreed to.



ODI:                                                 Bowman:
Object Design, Inc.                                  Kirk Bowman


By:_____________________________                 By:___________________________


Name:___________________________                 Name:_________________________
          (Printed or Typed)                              (Printed or Typed)

Title:__________________________