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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.1

                              SYMANTEC CORPORATION
                           1996 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN
                           (AS PROPOSED TO BE AMENDED)

     1.   Purpose. The purpose of this Plan is to provide incentives to attract,
retain and motivate eligible persons whose present and potential contributions
are important to the success of the Company, its Parent, Subsidiaries and
Affiliates, by offering them an opportunity to participate in the Company's
future performance through awards of Options. Capitalized terms not defined in
the text are defined in Section 22.

     2.   Shares Subject to the Plan.

     2.1  Number of Shares Available. Subject to Sections 2.2 and 17, the total
number of Shares reserved and available for grant and issuance pursuant to this
Plan will be 17,636,102 Shares. Subject to Sections 2.2 and 17, Shares that: (a)
are subject to issuance upon exercise of an Option but cease to be subject to
such Option for any reason other than exercise of such Option; (b) are subject
to an Award granted hereunder but are forfeited or are repurchased by the
Company at the original issue price; or (c) are subject to an Award that
otherwise terminates without Shares being issued; will again be available for
grant and issuance in connection with future Awards under this Plan. At all
times the Company shall reserve and keep available a sufficient number of Shares
as shall be required to satisfy the requirements of all outstanding Options
granted under this Plan and all other outstanding but unvested Awards granted
under this Plan.

     2.2  Adjustment of Shares. In the event that the number of outstanding
Shares is changed by a stock dividend, recapitalization, stock split, reverse
stock split, subdivision, combination, reclassification or similar change in the
capital structure of the Company without consideration, then (a) the number of
Shares reserved for issuance under this Plan, (b) the Exercise Prices of and
number of Shares subject to outstanding Options, and (c) the number of Shares
subject to other outstanding Awards will be proportionately adjusted, subject to
any required action by the Board or the stockholders of the Company and
compliance with applicable securities laws; provided, however, that fractions of
a Share will not be issued but will either be replaced by a cash payment equal
to the Fair Market Value of such fraction of a Share or will be rounded up to
the nearest whole Share, as determined by the Committee.

     3.   Eligibility. ISOs (as defined in Section 5 below) may be granted only
to employees (including officers and directors who are also employees) of the
Company or of a Parent or Subsidiary of the Company. All other Awards may be
granted to employees, officers, directors, consultants, independent contractors
and advisors of the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate of the
Company; provided such consultants, contractors and advisors render bona fide
services not in connection with the offer and sale of securities in a
capital-raising transaction; and provided further, that unless otherwise
determined by the Board, non-employee directors shall receive options only
pursuant to the formula award provisions set forth in Section 6. No person will
be eligible to receive more than 500,000 Shares in any calendar year under this
Plan pursuant to the grant of Awards hereunder, other than new employees of the
Company or of a Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company (including new
employees who are also officers and directors of the Company or any Parent,
Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company) who are eligible to receive up to a
maximum of 800,000 Shares in the calendar year in which they commence their
employment. A person may be granted more than one Award under this Plan.

     4.   Administration.

     4.1  Committee Authority. This Plan will be administered by the Committee
or by the Board acting as the Committee. Subject to the general purposes, terms
and conditions of this Plan, and to the direction of the Board, except as
provided in Section 6, the Committee will have full power to implement and carry
out this Plan. Without limitation, the Committee will have the authority to:

          (a)  construe and interpret this Plan, any Award Agreement and any
other agreement or document executed pursuant to this Plan;

          (b)  prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to
this Plan;

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          (c)  select persons to receive Awards;

          (d)  determine the form and terms of Awards;

          (e)  determine the number of Shares or other consideration subject to
Awards;

          (f)  determine whether Awards will be granted singly, in combination
with, in tandem with, in replacement of, or as alternatives to, other Awards
under this Plan or any other incentive or compensation plan of the Company or
any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company;

          (g)  grant waivers of Plan or Award conditions;

          (h)  determine the vesting, exercisability and payment of Awards;

          (i)  correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any
inconsistency in this Plan, any Award or any Award Agreement;

          (j)  amend any option agreements executed in connection with this
Plan;

          (k)  determine whether an Award has been earned; and

          (l)  make all other determinations necessary or advisable for the
administration of this Plan.

     4.2  Committee Discretion. Any determination made by the Committee with
respect to any Award will be made in its sole discretion at the time of grant of
the Award or, unless in contravention of any express term of this Plan or Award,
at any later time, and such determination will be final and binding on the
Company and on all persons having an interest in any Award under this Plan. The
Committee may delegate to one or more officers of the Company the authority to
grant an Award under this Plan to Participants who are not Insiders of the
Company.

     4.3  Section 162(m) Requirements. If two or more members of the Board are
Outside Directors, the Committee will be comprised of at least two (2) members
of the Board, all of whom are Outside Directors.

     5.   Options. The Committee may grant Options to eligible persons and will
determine whether such Options will be Incentive Stock Options within the
meaning of the Code ("ISOs") or Nonqualified Stock Options ("NQSOs"), the number
of Shares subject to the Option, the Exercise Price of the Option, the period
during which the Option may be exercised, and all other terms and conditions of
the Option, subject to the following:

     5.1  Form of Option Grant. Each Option granted under this Plan will be
evidenced by an Award Agreement which will expressly identify the Option as an
ISO or an NQSO ("Stock Option Agreement"), and will be in such form and contain
such provisions (which need not be the same for each Participant) as the
Committee may from time to time approve, and which will comply with and be
subject to the terms and conditions of this Plan.

     5.2  Date of Grant. The date of grant of an Option will be the date on
which the Committee makes the determination to grant such Option, unless
otherwise specified by the Committee. The Stock Option Agreement and a copy of
this Plan will be delivered to the Participant within a reasonable time after
the granting of the Option.

     5.3  Exercise Period. Options will be exercisable within the times or upon
the events determined by the Committee as set forth in the Stock Option
Agreement governing such Option; provided, however, that no Option will be
exercisable after the expiration of ten (10) years from the date the Option is
granted; and provided further that no ISO granted to a person who directly or by
attribution owns more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power
of all classes of stock of the Company or of any Parent or

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Subsidiary of the Company ("Ten Percent Stockholder") will be exercisable after
the expiration of five (5) years from the date the ISO is granted. The Committee
also may provide for the exercise of Options to become exercisable at one time
or from time to time, periodically or otherwise, in such number of Shares or
percentage of Shares as the Committee determines.

     5.4  Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of an Option will be determined by
the Committee when the Option is granted and may be not less than 100% of the
Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of grant; provided that the Exercise
Price of any ISO granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder will not be less than 110%
of the Fair Market Value of the Shares on the date of grant. Payment for the
Shares purchased may be made in accordance with Section 7 of this Plan.

     5.5  Method of Exercise. Options may be exercised only by delivery to the
Company of a written stock option exercise agreement (the "Exercise Agreement")
in a form approved by the Committee (which need not be the same for each
Participant), stating the number of Shares being purchased, the restrictions
imposed on the Shares purchased under such Exercise Agreement, if any, and such
representations and agreements regarding Participant's investment intent and
access to information and other matters, if any, as may be required or desirable
by the Company to comply with applicable securities laws, together with payment
in full of the Exercise Price for the number of Shares being purchased.

     5.6  Termination. Notwithstanding the exercise periods set forth in the
Stock Option Agreement, exercise of an Option will always be subject to the
following:

          (a)  If the Participant is Terminated for any reason except death or
     Disability, then the Participant may exercise such Participant's Options
     only to the extent that such Options would have been exercisable upon the
     Termination Date no later than three (3) months after the Termination Date
     (or such shorter or longer time period not exceeding five (5) years as may
     be determined by the Committee, with any exercise beyond three (3) months
     after the Termination Date deemed to be an NQSO), but in any event, no
     later than the expiration date of the Options; provided however, that
     options granted to non-employee directors pursuant to Section 6 shall
     remain exercisable for a period of seven (7) months following the
     non-employee director's termination as a director or consultant of the
     Company or any Affiliate.

          (b)  If the Participant is Terminated because of Participant's death
     or Disability (or the Participant dies within three (3) months after a
     Termination other than because of Participant's death or disability), then
     Participant's Options may be exercised only to the extent that such Options
     would have been exercisable by Participant on the Termination Date and must
     be exercised by Participant (or Participant's legal representative or
     authorized assignee) no later than twelve (12) months after the Termination
     Date (or such shorter or longer time period not exceeding five (5) years as
     may be determined by the Committee, with any such exercise beyond (a) three
     (3) months after the Termination Date when the Termination is for any
     reason other than the Participant's death or Disability, or (b) twelve (12)
     months after the Termination Date when the Termination is for Participant's
     death or Disability, deemed to be an NQSO), but in any event no later than
     the expiration date of the Options.

          (c)  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if the
     Participant is Terminated because of the Participant's actual or alleged
     commitment of a criminal act or an intentional tort and the Company (or an
     employee of the Company) is the victim or object of such criminal act or
     intentional tort or such criminal act or intentional tort results, in the
     reasonable opinion of the Company, in liability, loss, damage or injury to
     the Company, then, at the Company's election, Participant's Options shall
     not be exercisable and shall expire upon the Participant's Termination
     Date. Termination by the Company based on a Participant's alleged
     commitment of a criminal act or an intentional tort shall be based on a
     reasonable investigation of the facts and a determination by the Company
     that a preponderance of the evidence discovered in such investigation
     indicates that such Participant is guilty of such criminal act or
     intentional tort.

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     5.7  Limitations on Exercise. The Committee may specify a reasonable
minimum number of Shares that may be purchased on any exercise of an Option,
provided that such minimum number will not prevent Participant from exercising
the Option for the full number of Shares for which it is then exercisable.

     5.8  Limitations on ISOs. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of
the date of grant) of Shares with respect to which ISOs are exercisable for the
first time by a Participant during any calendar year (under this Plan or under
any other incentive stock option plan of the Company or any Affiliate, Parent or
Subsidiary of the Company) will not exceed $100,000. If the Fair Market Value of
Shares on the date of grant with respect to which ISOs are exercisable for the
first time by a Participant during any calendar year exceeds $100,000, then the
Options for the first $100,000 worth of Shares to become exercisable in such
calendar year will be ISOs and the Options for the amount in excess of $100,000
that become exercisable in that calendar year will be NQSOs. In the event that
the Code or the regulations promulgated thereunder are amended after the
Effective Date of this Plan to provide for a different limit on the Fair Market
Value of Shares permitted to be subject to ISOs, such different limit will be
automatically incorporated herein and will apply to any Options granted after
the effective date of such amendment.

     5.9  Modification, Extension or Renewal. The Committee may modify, extend
or renew outstanding Options and authorize the grant of new Options in
substitution therefor, provided that (a) any such action may not, without the
written consent of a Participant, impair any of such Participant's rights under
any Option previously granted. Any outstanding ISO that is modified, extended,
renewed or otherwise altered will be treated in accordance with Section 424(h)
of the Code; and (b) notwithstanding anything to the contrary elsewhere in the
Plan, the Company will not reprice Options issued under the Plan by lowering the
Exercise Price of a previously granted Award, by canceling outstanding Options
and issuing replacements, or by otherwise replacing existing Options with
substitute Options with a lower Exercise Price, without prior approval of the
Company's stockholders.

     5.10 No Disqualification. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan,
no term of this Plan relating to ISOs will be interpreted, amended or altered,
nor will any discretion or authority granted under this Plan be exercised, so as
to disqualify this Plan under Section 422 of the Code or, without the consent of
the Participant affected, to disqualify any ISO under Section 422 of the Code.

     6.   Formula for Non-Employee Director Option Grants and Vesting.

     6.1  Grant of Formula Option. Options shall be granted to non-employee
directors of the Company or any Affiliate ("non-employee directors") during the
term of this Plan as follows: (i) to the extent that a stock option has not
already been granted to a non-employee director during the fiscal year of the
Company in which such director becomes a director, a NQSO to purchase 20,000
shares will automatically be granted to such director upon such director's
joining the Board, (ii) a NQSO to purchase 10,000 shares will be granted to each
non-employee director, other than a non-employee director acting as the Chairman
of the Board at the first Board meeting following the first day of each fiscal
year of the Company, provided that no such grant shall be made to a director
within six months of the initial grant to such director, and (iii) a NQSO to
purchase 20,000 shares will be granted each year to the non-employee director
acting as the Chairman of the Board at the first Board meeting following the
first day of each fiscal year of the Company, provided, that no such grant shall
be made to a director within six months of the initial grant to such director.
Only non-employee directors who are neither an employee of the Company nor the
holder of more than one percent of the Shares or a representative of any such
stockholder shall be eligible for a formula option grant.

     6.2  Exercise Period For Formula Options. A non-employee director may
exercise a granted option in whole or in part for any Vested Shares, as
determined in accordance with Section 6.3 hereof; provided, however, that the
option shall expire and terminate on the tenth anniversary of the date of grant,
or earlier in accordance with the provisions of this Plan.

     6.3  Vesting of Formula Options. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the Shares
shall vest on the First Vesting Date, as specified in the Stock Option Grant,
with the remaining Shares vesting at the rate of 2.0833% of the total Shares per
month over the subsequent three years (each a "Succeeding Vesting Date")

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provided that the non-employee director provides services to the Company or a
Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company on the First Vesting Date and on
each Succeeding Vesting Date thereafter. Shares that are vested pursuant to the
vesting schedule set forth in this Section 6.3 are "Vested Shares" and are
exercisable hereunder.

     7.   Payment for Share Purchases.

     7.1  Payment. Payment for Shares purchased pursuant to this Plan may be
made in cash (by check) or, where expressly approved for the Participant by the
Committee and where permitted by law:

          (a)  by cancellation of indebtedness of the Company to the
     Participant;

          (b)  by surrender of shares that either: (1) have been owned by
     Participant for more than six (6) months and have been paid for within the
     meaning of SEC Rule 144 (and, if such shares were purchased from the
     Company by use of a promissory note, such note has been fully paid with
     respect to such shares); or (2) were obtained by Participant in the public
     market;

          (c)  by tender of a full recourse promissory note having such terms as
     may be approved by the Committee and bearing interest at a rate sufficient
     to avoid imputation of income under Sections 483 and 1274 of the Code;
     provided, however, that Participants who are not employees or directors of
     the Company will not be entitled to purchase Shares with a promissory note
     unless the note is adequately secured by collateral other than the Shares;
     provided, further, that the portion of the Purchase Price equal to the par
     value of the Shares, if any, must be paid in cash;

          (d)  by waiver of compensation due or accrued to the Participant for
     services rendered; provided, further, that the portion of the Purchase
     Price equal to the par value of the Shares, if any, must be paid in cash;

          (e)  with respect only to purchases upon exercise of an Option, and
     provided that a public market for the Company's stock exists:

               (1)  through a "same day sale" commitment from the Participant
          and a broker-dealer that is a member of the National Association of
          Securities Dealers (an "NASD Dealer") whereby the Participant
          irrevocably elects to exercise the Option and to sell a portion of the
          Shares so purchased to pay for the Exercise Price, and whereby the
          NASD Dealer irrevocably commits upon receipt of such Shares to forward
          the Exercise Price directly to the Company; or

               (2)  through a "margin" commitment from the Participant and an
          NASD Dealer whereby the Participant irrevocably elects to exercise the
          Option and to pledge the Shares so purchased to the NASD Dealer in a
          margin account as security for a loan from the NASD Dealer in the
          amount of the Exercise Price, and whereby the NASD Dealer irrevocably
          commits upon receipt of such Shares to forward the Exercise Price
          directly to the Company; or

          (f)  by any combination of the foregoing.

     7.2  Loan Guarantees. The Committee may help the Participant pay for Shares
purchased under this Plan by authorizing a guarantee by the Company of a
third-party loan to the Participant, provided the Company has full recourse to
the Participant relative to the guarantee.

     8.   Withholding Taxes.

     8.1  Withholding Generally. Whenever Shares are to be issued in
satisfaction of Awards granted under this Plan, the Company may require the
Participant to remit to the Company an amount sufficient to satisfy federal,
state and local withholding tax requirements prior to the delivery of any
certificate or certificates for such Shares. Whenever, under this Plan, payments
in satisfaction of Awards are to be made in cash,

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such payment will be net of an amount sufficient to satisfy federal, state, and
local withholding tax requirements.

     8.2  Stock Withholding. When, under applicable tax laws, a Participant
incurs tax liability in connection with the exercise or vesting of any Award
that is subject to tax withholding and the Participant is obligated to pay the
Company the amount required to be withheld, the Committee may allow the
Participant to satisfy the minimum withholding tax obligation by electing to
have the Company withhold from the Shares to be issued that number of Shares
having a Fair Market Value equal to the minimum amount required to be withheld,
determined on the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is to be determined
(the "Tax Date"). All elections by a Participant to have Shares withheld for
this purpose will be made in writing in a form acceptable to the Committee.

     9.   Privileges of Stock Ownership.

     9.1  Voting and Dividends. No Participant will have any of the rights of a
stockholder with respect to any Shares until the Shares are issued to the
Participant. After Shares are issued to the Participant, the Participant will be
a stockholder and have all the rights of a stockholder with respect to such
Shares, including the right to vote and receive all dividends or other
distributions made or paid with respect to such Shares; provided, that if such
Shares are restricted stock, then any new, additional or different securities
the Participant may become entitled to receive with respect to such Shares by
virtue of a stock dividend, stock split or any other change in the corporate or
capital structure of the Company will be subject to the same restrictions as the
restricted stock; provided, further, that the Participant will have no right to
retain such stock dividends or stock distributions with respect to Shares that
are repurchased at the Participant's original Purchase Price pursuant to Section
11.

     9.2  Financial Statements. The Company will provide financial statements to
each Participant prior to such Participant's purchase of Shares under this Plan,
and to each Participant annually during the period such Participant has Awards
outstanding; provided, however, the Company will not be required to provide such
financial statements to Participants whose services in connection with the
Company assure them access to equivalent information.

     10.  Transferability. Awards granted under this Plan, and any interest
therein, will not be transferable or assignable by Participant, and may not be
made subject to execution, attachment or similar process, otherwise than by will
or by the laws of descent and distribution or as consistent with the specific
Plan and Award Agreement provisions relating thereto. During the lifetime of the
Participant an Award will be exercisable only by the Participant, and any
elections with respect to an Award, may be made only by the Participant.

     11.  Restrictions on Shares. At the discretion of the Committee, the
Company may reserve to itself and/or its assignee(s) in the Award Agreement a
right to repurchase a portion of or all Shares that are not vested held by a
Participant following such Participant's Termination at any time within ninety
(90) days after the later of Participant's Termination Date and the date
Participant purchases Shares under this Plan, for cash and/or cancellation of
purchase money indebtedness, at the Participant's original Purchase Price.

     12.  Certificates. All certificates for Shares or other securities
delivered under this Plan will be subject to such stock transfer orders, legends
and other restrictions as the Committee may deem necessary or advisable,
including restrictions under any applicable federal, state or foreign securities
law, or any rules, regulations and other requirements of the SEC or any stock
exchange or automated quotation system upon which the Shares may be listed or
quoted.

     13.  Escrow; Pledge of Shares. To enforce any restrictions on a
Participant's Shares, the Committee may require the Participant to deposit all
certificates representing Shares, together with stock powers or other
instruments of transfer approved by the Committee, appropriately endorsed in
blank, with the Company or an agent designated by the Company to hold in escrow
until such restrictions have lapsed or terminated, and the Committee may cause a
legend or legends referencing such restrictions to be placed on the
certificates. Any Participant who is permitted to execute a promissory note as
partial or full consideration

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for the purchase of Shares under this Plan will be required to pledge and
deposit with the Company all or part of the Shares so purchased as collateral to
secure the payment of Participant's obligation to the Company under the
promissory note; provided, however, that the Committee may require or accept
other or additional forms of collateral to secure the payment of such obligation
and, in any event, the Company will have full recourse against the Participant
under the promissory note notwithstanding any pledge of the Participant's Shares
or other collateral. In connection with any pledge of the Shares, Participant
will be required to execute and deliver a written pledge agreement in such form
as the Committee will from time to time approve. The Shares purchased with the
promissory note may be released from the pledge on a pro rata basis as the
promissory note is paid.

     14.  Exchange and Buyout of Awards. The Committee may, at any time or from
time to time, authorize the Company, with the consent of the respective
Participants, to issue new Awards in exchange for the surrender and cancellation
of any or all outstanding Awards. The Committee may at any time buy from a
Participant an Award previously granted with payment in cash, Shares (including
restricted stock) or other consideration, based on such terms and conditions as
the Committee and the Participant may agree.

     15.  Securities Law and Other Regulatory Compliance. An Award will not be
effective unless such Award is in compliance with all applicable federal and
state securities laws, rules and regulations of any governmental body, and the
requirements of any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the
Shares may then be listed or quoted, as they are in effect on the date of grant
of the Award and also on the date of exercise or other issuance. Notwithstanding
any other provision in this Plan, the Company will have no obligation to issue
or deliver certificates for Shares under this Plan prior to: (a) obtaining any
approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are necessary
or advisable; and/or (b) completion of any registration or other qualification
of such Shares under any state or federal law or ruling of any governmental body
that the Company determines to be necessary or advisable. The Company will be
under no obligation to register the Shares with the SEC or to effect compliance
with the registration, qualification or listing requirements of any state
securities laws, stock exchange or automated quotation system, and the Company
will have no liability for any inability or failure to do so.

     16.  No Obligation to Employ. Nothing in this Plan or any Award granted
under this Plan will confer or be deemed to confer on any Participant any right
to continue in the employ of, or to continue any other relationship with, the
Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company or limit in any
way the right of the Company or any Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate of the
Company to terminate Participant's employment or other relationship at any time,
with or without cause.

     17.  Corporate Transactions.

     17.1 Assumption or Replacement of Awards by Successor. In the event of (a)
a dissolution or liquidation of the Company, (b) a merger or consolidation in
which the Company is not the surviving corporation (other than a merger or
consolidation with a wholly-owned subsidiary, a reincorporation of the Company
in a different jurisdiction, or other transaction in which there is no
substantial change in the stockholders of the Company or their relative stock
holdings and the Awards granted under this Plan are assumed, converted or
replaced by the successor corporation, which assumption will be binding on all
Participants), (c) a merger in which the Company is the surviving corporation
but after which the stockholders of the Company (other than any stockholder
which merges (or which owns or controls another corporation which merges) with
the Company in such merger) cease to own their shares or other equity interests
in the Company, (d) the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company,
or (e) any other transaction which qualifies as a "corporate transaction" under
Section 424(a) of the Code wherein the stockholders of the Company give up all
of their equity interest in the Company (except for the acquisition, sale or
transfer of all or substantially all of the outstanding shares of the Company
from or by the stockholders of the Company), any or all outstanding Awards may
be assumed, converted or replaced by the successor corporation (if any), which
assumption, conversion or replacement will be binding on all Participants, or
the successor corporation may substitute equivalent Awards or provide
substantially similar consideration to Participants as was provided to
stockholders (after taking into account the existing provisions of the Awards);
provided that all formula option grants, pursuant to Section 6, shall accelerate
and be fully vested upon such merger, consolidation or corporate transaction. In
the event such successor

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corporation (if any) fails to assume or substitute Options pursuant to a
transaction described in this Subsection 17.1, all Options will expire on such
transaction at such time and on such conditions as the Board shall determine.

     17.2 Other Treatment of Awards. Subject to any greater rights granted to
Participants under the foregoing provisions of this Section 17, in the event of
the occurrence of any transaction described in Section 17.1, any outstanding
Awards will be treated as provided in the applicable agreement or plan of
merger, consolidation, dissolution, liquidation, sale of assets or other
"corporate transaction."

     17.3 Assumption of Awards by the Company. The Company, from time to time,
also may substitute or assume outstanding awards granted by another company,
whether in connection with an acquisition of such other company or otherwise, by
either; (a) granting an Award under this Plan in substitution of such other
company's award; or (b) assuming such award as if it had been granted under this
Plan if the terms of such assumed award could be applied to an Award granted
under this Plan. Such substitution or assumption will be permissible if the
holder of the substituted or assumed award would have been eligible to be
granted an Award under this Plan if the other company had applied the rules of
this Plan to such grant. In the event the Company assumes an award granted by
another company, the terms and conditions of such award will remain unchanged
(except that the exercise price and the number and nature of Shares issuable
upon exercise of any such option will be adjusted appropriately pursuant to
Section 424(a) of the Code). In the event the Company elects to grant a new
Option rather than assuming an existing option, such new Option may be granted
with a similarly adjusted Exercise Price.

     18.  Adoption and Stockholder Approval. This Plan will become effective on
the date that it is adopted by the Board (the "Effective Date"). This Plan shall
be approved by the stockholders of the Company (excluding Shares issued pursuant
to this Plan), consistent with applicable laws, within twelve (12) months before
or after the Effective Date. Upon the Effective Date, the Board may grant Awards
pursuant to this Plan; provided, however, that: (a) no Option may be exercised
prior to initial stockholder approval of this Plan; (b) no Option granted
pursuant to an increase in the number of Shares subject to this Plan approved by
the Board will be exercised prior to the time such increase has been approved by
the stockholders of the Company; and (c) in the event that stockholder approval
of this Plan or any amendment increasing the number of Shares subject to this
Plan is not obtained, all Awards granted hereunder will be canceled, any Shares
issued pursuant to any Award will be canceled, and any purchase of Shares
hereunder will be rescinded.

     19.  Term of Plan. Unless earlier terminated as provided herein, this Plan
will terminate ten (10) years from the date this Plan is adopted by the Board
or, if earlier, the date of stockholder approval.

     20.  Amendment or Termination of Plan. The Board may at any time terminate
or amend this Plan in any respect, including without limitation amendment of
Section 6 of this Plan; provided, however, that the Board will not, without the
approval of the stockholders of the Company, amend this Plan to increase the
number of shares that may be issued under this Plan, or change the designation
of employees or class of employees eligible for participation in this Plan.

     21.  Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of this Plan by the
Board, the submission of this Plan to the stockholders of the Company for
approval, nor any provision of this Plan will be construed as creating any
limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such additional compensation
arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the
granting of stock options and bonuses otherwise than under this Plan, and such
arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific
cases.

     22.  Definitions. As used in this Plan, the following terms will have the
following meanings:

          "Affiliate" means any corporation that directly, or indirectly through
     one or more intermediaries, controls or is controlled by, or is under
     common control with, another corporation, where "control" (including the
     terms "controlled by" and "under common control with") means the
     possession, direct or

<PAGE>   9

     indirect, of the power to cause the direction of the management and
     policies of the corporation, whether through the ownership of voting
     securities, by contract or otherwise.

          "Award" means any award under this Plan, including any Option.

          "Award Agreement" means, with respect to each Award, the signed
     written agreement between the Company and the Participant setting forth the
     terms and conditions of the Award.

          "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Company.

          "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

          "Committee" means the committee appointed by the Board to administer
     this Plan, or if no such committee is appointed, the Board.

          "Company" means Symantec Corporation, a corporation organized under
     the laws of the State of Delaware, or any successor corporation.

          "Disability" means a disability, whether temporary or permanent,
     partial or total, within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Code, as
     determined by the Committee.

          "Exercise Price" means the price at which a holder of an Option may
     purchase the Shares issuable upon exercise of the Option.

          "Fair Market Value" means, as of any date, the value of a share of the
     Company's Common Stock determined as follows:

               (a)  if such Common Stock is then quoted on the Nasdaq National
          Market, its closing price on the Nasdaq National Market on the last
          trading day prior to the date of determination as reported in The Wall
          Street Journal;

               (b)  if such Common Stock is publicly traded and is then listed
          on a national securities exchange, its closing price on the last
          trading day prior to the date of determination on the principal
          national securities exchange on which the Common Stock is listed or
          admitted to trading as reported in The Wall Street Journal;

               (c)  if such Common Stock is publicly traded but is not quoted on
          the Nasdaq National Market nor listed or admitted to trading on a
          national securities exchange, the average of the closing bid and asked
          prices on the last trading day prior to the date of determination as
          reported in The Wall Street Journal; or

               (d)  if none of the foregoing is applicable, by the Committee in
          good faith.

          "Outside Director" shall mean a person who satisfies the requirements
     of an "outside director" as set forth in regulations promulgated under
     Section 162(m) of the Code.

          "Option" means an award of an option to purchase Shares pursuant to
     Section 5.

          "Parent" means any corporation (other than the Company) in an unbroken
     chain of corporations ending with the Company, if at the time of the
     granting of an Award under this Plan, each of such corporations other than
     the Company owns stock possessing 50% or more of the total combined voting
     power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations in such
     chain.

          "Participant" means a person who receives an Award under this Plan.

<PAGE>   10

          "Plan" means this Symantec Corporation 1996 Equity Incentive Plan, as
     amended from time to time.

          "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

          "Shares" means shares of the Company's Common Stock reserved for
     issuance under this Plan, as adjusted pursuant to Sections 2 and 17, and
     any successor security.

          "Subsidiary" means any corporation (other than the Company) in an
     unbroken chain of corporations beginning with the Company if, at the time
     of granting of the Award, each of the corporations other than the last
     corporation in the unbroken chain owns stock possessing 50% or more of the
     total combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other
     corporations in such chain.

          "Termination" or "Terminated" means, for purposes of this Plan with
     respect to a Participant, that the Participant has for any reason ceased to
     provide services as an employee, director, consultant, independent
     contractor or advisor to the Company or a Parent, Subsidiary or Affiliate
     of the Company, except in the case of sick leave, military leave, or any
     other leave of absence approved by the Committee, provided that such leave
     is for a period of not more than ninety (90) days, or reinstatement upon
     the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or statute. The
     Committee will have sole discretion to determine whether a Participant has
     ceased to provide services and the effective date on which the Participant
     ceased to provide services (the "Termination Date").<PAGE>   1

                                                                     EXHIBIT 4.1

                          REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

        THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of October 30, 2000 between
Investwell Investments Limited ("Purchaser") and Beyond.com Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (the "Company").

        WHEREAS, simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, pursuant to a Common Stock Purchase Agreement dated the date hereof
(the "Purchase Agreement") the Purchaser has committed to purchase up to
$40,000,000 of the Company's Common Stock (terms not defined herein shall have
the meanings ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement) and the Warrant; and

        WHEREAS, the Company desires to grant to the Purchaser the registration
rights set forth herein with respect to the Shares and the shares issuable upon
exercise of the Warrant from time to time (collectively, the "Securities").

        NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto mutually agree as follows:

        Section 1. Registrable Securities. As used herein the term "Registrable
Security" means the Securities until (i) such Securities have been disposed of
pursuant to the Registration Statement, (ii) such Securities have been sold
under circumstances under which all of the applicable conditions of Rule 144 (or
any similar provision then in force) under the Securities Act ("Rule 144") are
met, (iii) such Securities have been otherwise transferred to persons who may
trade such Securities without restriction under the Securities Act, and the
Company has delivered a new certificate or other evidence of ownership for such
Securities not bearing a restrictive legend or (iv) such time as, in the opinion
of counsel to the Company, such Securities may be sold without any time, volume
or manner limitations pursuant to Rule 144(k) (or any similar provision then in
effect) under the Securities Act. The term "Registrable Securities" means any
and/or all of the Securities falling within the foregoing definition of a
"Registrable Security." In the event of any merger, reorganization,
consolidation, recapitalization or other change in corporate structure affecting
the Common Stock, such adjustment shall be deemed to be made in the definition
of "Registrable Security" as is appropriate in order to prevent any dilution or
enlargement of the rights granted pursuant to this Agreement.

        Section 2. Restrictions on Transfer. The Purchaser acknowledges and
understands that in the absence of an effective Registration Statement
authorizing the resale of the Securities as provided herein, the Securities are
"restricted securities" as defined in Rule 144. The Purchaser understands that
no disposition or transfer of the Securities may be made by Purchaser in the
absence of (i) an opinion of counsel to the Purchaser, in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Company, that such transfer may be made without
registration under the Securities Act or (ii) such registration.

<PAGE>   2

        With a view to making available to the Purchaser the benefits of Rule
144, the Company agrees to:

                (a) comply with the provisions of paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 144;
and

                (b) file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other
documents required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
under the Exchange Act; and, if at any time it is not required to file such
reports but in the past had been required to or did file such reports, it will,
upon the request of the Purchaser, make available other information as required
by, and so long as necessary to permit sales of, its Registrable Securities
pursuant to Rule 144.

        Section 3. Registration Rights With Respect to the Securities.

                (a) The Company agrees that it will prepare and file with the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), within forty-five (45) days after
the date hereof, a registration statement (on Form S-3 and/or S-1, or other
appropriate form of registration statement) under the Securities Act (the
"Registration Statement"), at the sole expense of the Company (except as
provided in Section 3(c) hereof), so as to permit a public offering and resale
of the Securities under the Securities Act by Purchaser.

        The Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause the
Registration Statement to become effective within ninety (90) days of the date
hereof or five (5) Trading Days following the Company's receipt of notice from
the SEC that the Registration Statement may be declared effective, and will
within said five (5) Trading Days request acceleration of effectiveness. The
Company will notify Purchaser of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement
within one Trading Day of such event.

                (b) The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to
maintain the Registration Statement or post-effective amendment filed under this
Section 3 effective under the Securities Act until the earliest of (i) the date
that all the Securities may be disposed of by Purchaser pursuant to the
Registration Statement, (ii) the date that all of the Securities have been sold
by Purchaser pursuant to the Registration Statement, (iii) the date the holders
thereof receive an opinion of counsel to the Company, which opinion shall be
reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser, that the Securities may be sold under
the provisions of Rule 144 without limitation as to volume, (iv) all Securities
have been otherwise transferred to persons who may trade such shares without
restriction under the Securities Act, and the Company has delivered a new
certificate or other evidence of ownership for such securities not bearing a
restrictive legend, or (v) all Securities may be sold without any time, volume
or manner limitations pursuant to Rule 144(k) or any similar provision then in
effect under the Securities Act in the opinion of counsel to the Company, which
counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser (the "Effectiveness
Period").

                (c) All fees, disbursements and out-of-pocket expenses and costs
incurred by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the
Registration Statement under subparagraph 3(a) and in complying with applicable
securities and Blue Sky

                                       2
<PAGE>   3

laws (including, without limitation, all attorneys' fees of the Company) shall
be borne by the Company. The Purchaser shall bear the cost of underwriting
and/or brokerage discounts, fees and commissions, if any, applicable to the
Securities being registered and the fees and expenses of its counsel. The
Purchaser and its counsel shall have a reasonable period, not to exceed five (5)
Trading Days, to review the proposed Registration Statement or any amendment
thereto, prior to filing with the SEC, and the Company shall provide the
Purchaser with copies of any comment letters received from the SEC with respect
thereto within two (2) Trading Days of receipt thereof. The Company shall make
reasonably available for inspection by Purchaser, any underwriter participating
in any disposition pursuant to the Registration Statement, and any attorney,
accountant or other agent retained by the Purchaser or any such underwriter all
relevant financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and
properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, and cause the Company's
officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested
by the Purchaser or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in
connection with the Registration Statement, in each case, as is customary for
similar due diligence examinations; provided, however, that all records,
information and documents that are designated in writing by the Company, in good
faith, as confidential, proprietary or containing any material non-public
information shall be kept confidential by the Purchaser and any such
underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent (pursuant to an appropriate
confidentiality agreement in the case of the Purchaser, underwriter, attorney,
accountant or agent), unless such disclosure is made pursuant to judicial
process in a court proceeding (after first giving the Company an opportunity
promptly to seek a protective order or otherwise limit the scope of the
information sought to be disclosed) or is required by law, or such records,
information or documents become available to the public generally or through a
third party not in violation of an accompanying obligation of confidentiality;
and provided further that, if the foregoing inspection and information gathering
would otherwise disrupt the Company's conduct of its business, such inspection
and information gathering shall, to the maximum extent possible, be coordinated
on behalf of the Purchaser and the other parties entitled thereto by one firm of
counsel designed by and on behalf of the majority in interest of the Purchaser
and other parties. The Company shall qualify any of the Securities for sale in
such states as the Purchaser reasonably designates and shall furnish
indemnification in the manner provided in Section 6 hereof. However, the Company
shall not be required to qualify in any state which will require an escrow or
other restriction relating to the Company and/or the sellers, or which will
require the Company to qualify to do business in such state or require the
Company to file therein any general consent to service of process. The Company
at its expense will supply the Purchaser with copies of the Registration
Statement and the prospectus included therein and other related documents in
such quantities as may be reasonably requested by the Purchaser.

                (d) The Company shall not be required by this Section 3 to
include the Purchaser's Securities in any Registration Statement which is to be
filed if, in the opinion of counsel for both the Purchaser and the Company (or,
should they not agree, in the opinion of another counsel experienced in
securities law matters acceptable to counsel for the Purchaser and the Company)
the proposed offering or other transfer as to which such registration is
requested is exempt from applicable federal and state securities laws and would
result in all purchasers or transferees obtaining securities which are not
"restricted securities", as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

                                       3
<PAGE>   4

                (e) If at any time or from time to time after the effective date
of the Registration Statement, the Company notifies the Purchaser in writing of
the existence of a Potential Material Event (as defined in Section 3(f) below),
the Purchaser shall not offer or sell any Securities or engage in any other
transaction involving or relating to Securities, from the time of the giving of
notice with respect to a Potential Material Event until the Purchaser receives
written notice from the Company that such Potential Material Event either has
been disclosed to the public or no longer constitutes a Potential Material Event
(the "Suspension Period"); provided, however, that, if a Suspension Period
occurs during any periods commencing on a Trading Day a Draw Down Notice is
deemed delivered and ending ten (10) Trading Days following the end of the
corresponding Draw Down Pricing Period, then the Company must compensate the
Purchaser for any net decline in the market value of any Securities held by the
Purchaser at the beginning of any such Suspension Period, or committed to be
purchased by the Purchaser, through the end of such Suspension Period. Net
decline shall be calculated as the difference between the highest VWAP during
the applicable Suspension Period and the VWAP on the Trading Day immediately
following a properly delivered notice to the Purchaser that such Suspension
Period has ended. If a Potential Material Event shall occur prior to the date
the Registration Statement is filed, then the Company's obligation to file the
Registration Statement shall be delayed without penalty for not more than thirty
(30) calendar days. The Company must give Purchaser notice of the existence of a
Potential Material Event in writing at least two (2) Trading Days prior to the
first day of any Suspension Period, if lawful to do so.

                (f) "Potential Material Event" means any of the following: (a)
the possession by the Company of material information that is not ripe for
disclosure in a registration statement, as determined in good faith by the Chief
Executive Officer or the Board of Directors of the Company or that disclosure of
such information in the Registration Statement would be detrimental to the
business and affairs of the Company; or (b) any material engagement or activity
by the Company which would, in the good faith determination of the Chief
Executive Officer or the Board of Directors of the Company, be adversely
affected by disclosure in a registration statement at such time, which
determination shall be accompanied by a good faith determination by the Chief
Executive Officer or the Board of Directors of the Company that the Registration
Statement would be materially misleading absent the inclusion of such
information.

        Section 4. Cooperation with Company. The Purchaser will cooperate with
the Company in all respects in connection with this Agreement, including timely
supplying all information reasonably requested by the Company (which shall
include all information regarding the Purchaser and proposed manner of sale of
the Registrable Securities required to be disclosed in the Registration
Statement) and executing and returning all documents reasonably requested in
connection with the registration and sale of the Registrable Securities and
entering into and performing its obligations under any underwriting agreement,
if the offering is an underwritten offering, in usual and customary form, with
the managing underwriter or underwriters of such underwritten offering. The
Purchaser shall consent to be named as an underwriter in the Registration
Statement. Purchaser acknowledges that in accordance with current SEC policy,
the Purchaser will be named as the underwriter of the Securities in the
Registration Statement.

        Section 5. Registration Procedures. If and whenever the Company is
required by any of the provisions of this Agreement to effect the registration
of any of the Registrable

                                       4
<PAGE>   5

Securities under the Securities Act, the Company shall (except as otherwise
provided in this Agreement), as expeditiously as possible, subject to the
Purchaser's assistance and cooperation as reasonably required:

                (a) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and
supplements to the Registration Statement and the prospectus used in connection
therewith as may be necessary to keep such registration statement effective and
to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the sale or
other disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement
whenever the Purchaser of such Registrable Securities shall desire to sell or
otherwise dispose of the same (including prospectus supplements with respect to
the sales of securities from time to time in connection with a registration
statement pursuant to Rule 415 promulgated under the Securities Act) and (ii)
take all lawful action such that each of (A) the Registration Statement and any
amendment thereto does not, when it becomes effective, contain an untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be
stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading and
(B) the prospectus forming part of the Registration Statement, and any amendment
or supplement thereto, does not at any time during the Registration Period
include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in
light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

                (b) prior to the filing with the SEC of any Registration
Statement (including any amendments thereto) and the distribution or delivery of
any prospectus (including any supplements thereto), provide draft copies thereof
to the Purchaser and reflect in such documents all such comments as the
Purchaser (and its counsel) reasonably may propose and (ii) furnish to the
Purchaser such numbers of copies of a prospectus including a preliminary
prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any prospectus, as applicable, in
conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, and such other
documents, as the Purchaser may reasonably request in order to facilitate the
public sale or other disposition of the securities owned by the Purchaser;

                (c) register and qualify the Registrable Securities covered by
the Registration Statement under New York blue sky laws (subject to the
limitations set forth in Section 3(c) above), and do any and all other acts and
things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable the Purchaser to
consummate the public sale or other disposition in such jurisdiction of the
securities owned by the Purchaser, except that the Company shall not for any
such purpose be required to qualify to do business as a foreign corporation in
any jurisdiction wherein it is not so qualified or to file therein any general
consent to service of process;

                (d) list such Registrable Securities on the Principal Market,
and any other exchange on which the Common Stock of the Company is then listed,
if the listing of such Registrable Securities is then permitted under the rules
of such exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market;

                (e) notify the Purchaser at any time when a prospectus relating
thereto covered by the Registration Statement is required to be delivered under
the Securities Act, of the happening of any event of which it has knowledge as a
result of which the prospectus included in

                                       5
<PAGE>   6

the Registration Statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a
material fact or omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or
necessary to make the statements therein not misleading in the light of the
circumstances then existing; in the event of such a happening, the Company shall
prepare and file a curative amendment under Section 5(a) as quickly as is
reasonably practicable;

                (f) as promptly as practicable after becoming aware of such
event, notify the Purchaser who holds Registrable Securities being sold (or, in
the event of an underwritten offering, the managing underwriters) of the
issuance by the SEC or any state authority of any stop order or other suspension
of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement at the earliest possible time
and take all reasonable lawful action to effect the withdrawal, recission or
removal of such stop order or other suspension;

                (g) cooperate with the Purchaser to facilitate the timely
preparation and delivery of certificates for the Registrable Securities to be
offered pursuant to the Registration Statement and enable such certificates for
the Registrable Securities to be in such denominations or amounts, as the case
may be, as the Purchaser reasonably may request and registered in such names as
the Purchaser may request; and, within three (3) Trading Days after a
Registration Statement which includes Registrable Securities is declared
effective by the SEC, deliver and cause legal counsel selected by the Company to
deliver to the transfer agent for the Registrable Securities (with copies to the
Purchaser whose Registrable Securities are included in such Registration
Statement) an appropriate instruction and, to the extent necessary, an opinion
of such counsel;

                (h) take all such other lawful actions reasonably necessary to
expedite and facilitate the disposition by the Purchaser of their Registrable
Securities in accordance with the intended methods therefor provided in the
prospectus which are customary for issuers to perform under the circumstances;

                (i) in the event of an underwritten offering, promptly include
or incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement such information as the managing underwriters reasonably
agree should be included therein and to which the Company does not reasonably
object and make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after it is notified of the
matters to be included or incorporated in such prospectus supplement or
post-effective amendment; and

                (j) maintain a transfer agent for its Common Stock.

        Section 6. Indemnification.

                (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Purchaser and each person, if any, who controls the Purchaser within the meaning
of the Securities Act ("Distributing Purchaser") against any losses, claims,
damages or liabilities, joint or several (which shall, for all purposes of this
Agreement, include, but not be limited to, all reasonable costs of defense and
investigation and all reasonable attorneys' fees), to which the Distributing

                                       6
<PAGE>   7

Purchaser may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as
such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof)
arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement
of any material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any related
preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, or
arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein
a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the
statements therein not misleading; provided, however, that the Company will not
be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or
liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement,
preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto in
reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished to the
Company by the Distributing Purchaser specifically for use in the preparation
thereof. This Section 6(a) shall not inure to the benefit of any Distributing
Purchaser with respect to any person asserting such loss, claim, damage or
liability who purchased the Registrable Securities which are the subject thereof
if the Distributing Purchaser failed to send or give (in violation of the
Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder) a copy of
the prospectus contained in such Registration Statement to such person at or
prior to the written confirmation to such person of the sale of such Registrable
Securities, where the Distributing Purchaser was obligated to do so under the
Securities Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. This
indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may
otherwise have.

                (b) Each Distributing Purchaser agrees that it will indemnify
and hold harmless the Company, and each officer, director of the Company or
person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of the Securities
Act, against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (which shall, for all
purposes of this Agreement, include, but not be limited to, all reasonable costs
of defense and investigation and all reasonable attorneys' fees) to which the
Company or any such officer, director or controlling person may become subject
under the Securities Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages
or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon
any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of any material fact contained
in the Registration Statement, or any related preliminary prospectus, final
prospectus or amendment or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon
the omission or the alleged omission to state therein a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
but in each case only to the extent that such untrue statement or alleged untrue
statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration
Statement, preliminary prospectus, final prospectus or amendment or supplement
thereto in reliance upon, and in conformity with, written information furnished
to the Company by such Distributing Purchaser specifically for use in the
preparation thereof. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any
liability which the Distributing Purchaser may otherwise have. Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary herein, the Distributing Purchaser shall not be liable
under this Section 6(b) for any amount in excess of the net proceeds to such
Distributing Purchaser as a result of the sale of Registrable Securities
pursuant to the Registration Statement.

                (c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this
Section 6 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party
will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party
under this Section 6, notify the indemnifying

                                       7
<PAGE>   8

party of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the
indemnifying party will not relieve the indemnifying party from any liability
which it may have to any indemnified party except to the extent of actual
prejudice demonstrated by the indemnifying party. In case any such action is
brought against any indemnified party, and it notifies the indemnifying party of
the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate
in, and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying
party similarly notified, assume the defense thereof, subject to the provisions
herein stated and after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified
party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party
will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 6 for any legal
or other expenses subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection
with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation, unless
the indemnifying party shall not pursue the action to its final conclusion. The
indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel in any such
action and to participate in the defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of
such counsel shall not be at the expense of the indemnifying party if the
indemnifying party has assumed the defense of the action with counsel reasonably
satisfactory to the indemnified party; provided that if the indemnified party is
the Distributing Purchaser, the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at
the expense of the indemnifying party if (i) the employment of such counsel has
been specifically authorized in writing by the indemnifying party, or (ii) the
named parties to any such action (including any impleaded parties) include both
the Distributing Purchaser and the indemnifying party and the Distributing
Purchaser shall have been advised by such counsel that there may be one or more
legal defenses available to the indemnifying party different from or in conflict
with any legal defenses which may be available to the Distributing Purchaser (in
which case the indemnifying party shall not have the right to assume the defense
of such action on behalf of the Distributing Purchaser, it being understood,
however, that the indemnifying party shall, in connection with any one such
action or separate but substantially similar or related actions in the same
jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be
liable only for the reasonable fees and expenses of one separate firm of
attorneys for the Distributing Purchaser, which firm shall be designated in
writing by the Distributing Purchaser and be approved by the indemnifying
party). No settlement of any action against an indemnified party shall be made
without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, which consent shall
not be unreasonably withheld.

        All fees and expenses of the indemnified party (including reasonable
costs of defense and investigation in a manner not inconsistent with this
Section and all reasonable attorneys' fees and expenses) shall be paid to the
indemnified party, as incurred, within ten (10) Trading Days of written notice
thereof to the indemnifying party; provided, that the indemnifying party may
require such indemnified party to undertake to reimburse all such fees and
expenses to the extent it is finally judicially determined that such indemnified
party is not entitled to indemnification hereunder).

        Section 7. Contribution. In order to provide for just and equitable
contribution under the Securities Act in any case in which (i) the indemnified
party makes a claim for indemnification pursuant to Section 6 hereof but is
judicially determined (by the entry of a final judgment or decree by a court of
competent jurisdiction and the expiration of time to appeal or the denial of the
last right of appeal) that such indemnification may not be enforced in such case
notwithstanding the fact that the express provisions of Section 6 hereof provide
for

                                       8
<PAGE>   9

indemnification in such case, or (ii) contribution under the Securities Act may
be required on the part of any indemnified party, then the Company and the
applicable Distributing Purchaser shall contribute to the aggregate losses,
claims, damages or liabilities to which they may be subject (which shall, for
all purposes of this Agreement, include, but not be limited to, all reasonable
costs of defense and investigation and all reasonable attorneys' fees), in
either such case (after contribution from others) on the basis of relative fault
as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault shall
be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged
untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state
a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company on the one hand
or the applicable Distributing Purchaser on the other hand, and the parties'
relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or
prevent such statement or omission. The Company and the Distributing Purchaser
agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this
Section 7 were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of
allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred
to in this Section 7. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a
result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect
thereof) referred to above in this Section 7 shall be deemed to include any
legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in
connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. No person
guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was
not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.

        Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 7, in no event shall
any (i) the Purchaser be required to undertake liability to any person under
this Section 7 for any amounts in excess of the dollar amount of the net
proceeds to be received by the Purchaser from the sale of the Purchaser's
Registrable Securities (after deducting any fees, discounts and commissions
applicable thereto) pursuant to any Registration Statement under which such
Registrable Securities are to be registered under the Securities Act,
underwriter be required to undertake liability to any person hereunder for any
amounts in excess of the aggregate discount, commission or other compensation
payable to such underwriter with respect to the Registrable Securities
underwritten by it and distributed pursuant to the Registration Statement.

        Section 8. Notices. All notices, demands, requests, consents, approvals,
and other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing
and, unless otherwise specified herein, shall be delivered as set forth in the
Purchase Agreement.

        Section 9. Assignment. Neither this Agreement nor any rights of the
Purchaser or the Company hereunder may be assigned by either party to any other
person. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) the provisions of this Agreement
shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, any transferee of any of
the Common Stock purchased by the Purchaser pursuant to the Purchase Agreement
other than through open-market sales, and (b) upon the prior written consent of
the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed in the
case of an assignment to an affiliate of the Purchaser, the Purchaser's interest
in this Agreement may be assigned at any time, in whole or in part, to any other
person or entity (including any affiliate of the Purchaser) who agrees to be
bound hereby.

                                       9
<PAGE>   10

        Section 10. Counterparts/Facsimile. This Agreement may be executed in
two or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original, but all of
which, when together shall constitute but one and the same instrument, and shall
become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each party
hereto and delivered to the other party. In lieu of the original, a facsimile
transmission or copy of the original shall be as effective and enforceable as
the original.

        Section 11. Remedies and Severability. The remedies provided in this
Agreement are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law. If
any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a
court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable,
the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions set forth
herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected,
impaired or invalidated, and the parties hereto shall use their best efforts to
find and employ an alternative means to achieve the same or substantially the
same result as that contemplated by such term, provision, covenant or
restriction. It is hereby stipulated and declared to be the intention of the
parties that they would have executed the remaining terms, provisions, covenants
and restrictions without including any of such that may be hereafter declared
invalid, illegal, void or unenforceable.

        Section 12. Conflicting Agreements. The Company shall not enter into any
agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights
granted to the holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise
prevents the Company from complying with all of its obligations hereunder.

        Section 13. Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of
this Agreement.

        Section 14. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to
contracts made in New York by persons domiciled in New York City and without
regard to its principles of conflicts of laws. Any action may be brought as set
forth in the Purchase Agreement. Any party shall have the right to seek
injunctive relief from any court of competent jurisdiction in any case where
such relief is available. Any dispute under this Agreement shall be submitted to
arbitration under the American Arbitration Association (the "AAA") in New York
City, New York, and shall be finally and conclusively determined by the decision
of a board of arbitration consisting of three (3) members (hereinafter referred
to as the "Board of Arbitration") selected as according to the rules governing
the AAA. The Board of Arbitration shall meet on consecutive business days in New
York City, New York, and shall reach and render a decision in writing (concurred
in by a majority of the members of the Board of Arbitration) with respect to the
amount, if any, which the losing party is required to pay to the other party in
respect of a claim filed. In connection with rendering its decisions, the Board
of Arbitration shall adopt and follow the laws of the State of New York. To the
extent practical, decisions of the Board of Arbitration shall be rendered no
more than thirty (30) calendar days following commencement of proceedings with
respect thereto. The Board of Arbitration shall cause its written decision to be
delivered to all parties involved in the dispute. The Board of Arbitration shall
be authorized and is directed to enter a default judgment against any party
refusing to participate in the arbitration proceeding within thirty days of any
deadline for such

                                       10
<PAGE>   11

participation. Any decision made by the Board of Arbitration (either prior to or
after the expiration of such thirty (30) calendar day period) shall be final,
binding and conclusive on the parties to the dispute, and entitled to be
enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law and entered in any court of
competent jurisdiction. The prevailing party shall be awarded its costs,
including attorneys' fees, from the non-prevailing party as part of the
arbitration award. Any party shall have the right to seek injunctive relief from
any court of competent jurisdiction in any case where such relief is available.
The prevailing party in such injunctive action shall be awarded its costs,
including attorney's fees, from the non-prevailing party.

                                       11
<PAGE>   12

        IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Registration
Rights Agreement to be duly executed, on this 30th day of October, 2000

                                               BEYOND.COM CORPORATION

                                               By: /s/  RONALD S. SMITH
                                                  -----------------------------
                                                  Ronald Smith, President & CEO

                                               INVESTWELL INVESTMENTS LIMITED

                                                By: /s/ HANS GLASSNER
                                                   -----------------------------
                                                   Name:  Hans Glassner
                                                   Title: Director

                                       12

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