Document:

<PAGE>   1

                                                                    EXHIBIT 4.01

Number                                LOGO                               Shares

                              TALARIAN CORPORATION

<TABLE>
<S>                                     <C>                                     <C>
THIS CERTIFICATE IS TRANSFERABLE        INCORPORATED UNDER THE LAWS OF          SEE REVERSE FOR CERTAIN
NEW YORK, NY AND                        THE STATE OF DELAWARE                   DEFINITIONS AND A STATEMENT
RIDGEFIELD, NJ                                                                  RELATING TO RIGHTS,
                                                                                PREFERENCES, PRIVILEGES AND
                                                                                RESTRICTIONS ON SHARES
</TABLE>

This Certifies that                                           CUSIP 874090 10 3

is the record holder of

   FULLY PAID AND NON-ASSESSABLE SHARES OF COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $0.001, OF

                              TALARIAN CORPORATION

        transferable on the books of the Corporation by the holder hereof in
person or by duly authorized Attorney upon surrender of this certificate
properly endorsed. This certificate is not valid until countersigned by the
Transfer Agent and registered by the Registrar.

        WITNESS the facsimile seal of the Corporation and the facsimile
signatures of its duly authorized officers.

Dated:

                                [corporate seal]

        /s/ Thomas J. Laffey                                  /s/ Paul A. Larson
        SECRETARY                          PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

COUNTERSIGNED AND REGISTERED:
               CHASEMELLON SHAREHOLDER SERVICES, L.L.C.
                             TRANSFER AGENT AND REGISTRAR

BY

                              AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

<PAGE>   2

                              TALARIAN CORPORATION

        The Corporation shall furnish without charge to each stockholder who so
requests a statement of the powers, designations, preferences and relative,
participating, optional or other special rights of each class of stock of the
Corporation or series thereof and the qualifications, limitations or
restrictions of such preferences and/or rights. Such requests shall be made to
the Corporation's Secretary at the principal office of the Corporation.

        The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of
this certificate, shall be construed as through they were written out in full
according to applicable laws or regulations:

<TABLE>
<S>                                                            <C>
        TEN COM  ___  as tenants in common                      UNIF GIFT MIN ACT  ___     ______________ Custodian _____________
        TEN ENT  ___  as tenants by the entireties                                             (Cust)                  (Minor)
        JT TEN   ___  as joint tenants with right of                                       under Uniform Gifts to Minors
                 ___  survivorship and not as tenants in                                   Act __________________________________
                      common                                                                                 (State)
                                                                UNIF TRF MIN ACT  ___     ________ Custodian (until age ________)
                                                                                          (Cust)
                                                                                          _______________ under Uniform Transfers
                                                                                             (Minor)
                                                                                          to Minors and _________________________
                                                                                                                 (State)
</TABLE>

     Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

        FOR VALUE RECEIVED, ________________________ hereby sells, assigns and
transfers unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER
      IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

____________________________________________

____________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
  (PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE)

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________Shares
of the common stock represented by the within Certificate, and do hereby
irrevocably constitute and appoint______________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________Attorney
to transfer the said stock on the books of the within named Corporation with
full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated ______________________

                                       X ______________________________________

                                       X ______________________________________

                              NOTICE:    THE SIGNATURE(S) TO THIS ASSIGNMENT
                                         MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME(S) AS
                                         WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE
                                         CERTIFICATE IN EVERY PARTICULAR,
                                         WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR
                                         ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.

Signature(s) Guaranteed

By _____________________________________________________________________________
THE SIGNATURE(S) MUST BE GUARANTEED BY AN ELIGIBLE GUARANTOR INSTITUTION
(BANKS, STOCKBROKERS, SAVINGS AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AND CREDIT UNIONS
WITH MEMBERSHIP IN AN APPROVED SIGNATURE GUARANTEE MEDALLION PROGRAM),
PURSUANT TO S.E.C. RULE 17Ad-16.<PAGE>   1
                                                                   Exhibit 10.04

                              TALARIAN CORPORATION

                        2000 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN

                            As Adopted May 12, 2000

      1. ESTABLISHMENT OF PLAN. Talarian Corporation. (the "COMPANY") proposes
to grant options for purchase of the Company's Common Stock to eligible
employees of the Company and its Participating Subsidiaries (as hereinafter
defined) pursuant to this Employee Stock Purchase Plan (this "Plan"). For
purposes of this Plan, "PARENT CORPORATION" and "SUBSIDIARY" shall have the same
meanings as "parent corporation" and "subsidiary corporation" in Sections 424(e)
and 424(f), respectively, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"CODE"). "PARTICIPATING SUBSIDIARIES" are Parent Corporations or Subsidiaries
that the Board of Directors of the Company (the "BOARD") designates from time to
time as corporations that shall participate in this Plan. The Company intends
this Plan to qualify as an "employee stock purchase plan" under Section 423 of
the Code (including any amendments to or replacements of such Section), and this
Plan shall be so construed. Any term not expressly defined in this Plan but
defined for purposes of Section 423 of the Code shall have the same definition
herein. A total of 300,000 shares of the Company's Common Stock is reserved for
issuance under this Plan. In addition, on each January 1, the aggregate number
of shares of the Company's Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan
shall be increased automatically by a number of shares equal to 1% of the total
number of outstanding shares of the Company Common Stock on the immediately
preceding December 31; provided, that the Board or the Committee may in its sole
discretion reduce the amount of the increase in any particular year; and,
provided further, that the aggregate number of shares issued over the term of
this Plan shall not exceed 3,000,000 shares. Such number shall be subject to
adjustments effected in accordance with Section 14 of this Plan.

      2. PURPOSE. The purpose of this Plan is to provide eligible employees of
the Company and Participating Subsidiaries with a convenient means of acquiring
an equity interest in the Company through payroll deductions, to enhance such
employees' sense of participation in the affairs of the Company and
Participating Subsidiaries, and to provide an incentive for continued
employment.

      3. ADMINISTRATION. This Plan shall be administered by the Compensation
Committee of the Board (the "COMMITTEE"). Subject to the provisions of this Plan
and the limitations of Section 423 of the Code or any successor provision in the
Code, all questions of interpretation or application of this Plan shall be
determined by the Committee and its decisions shall be final and binding upon
all participants. Members of the Committee shall receive no compensation for
their services in connection with the administration of this Plan, other than
standard fees as established from time to time by the Board for services
rendered by Board members serving on Board committees. All expenses incurred in
connection with the administration of this Plan shall be paid by the Company.

      4. ELIGIBILITY. Any employee of the Company or the Participating
Subsidiaries is eligible to participate in an Offering Period (as hereinafter
defined) under this Plan except the following:

            (a) employees who are not employed by the Company or a Participating
Subsidiary prior to the beginning of such Offering Period or prior to such other
time period as specified by the Committee, except that employees who are
employed on the Effective Date of the Registration Statement filed by the
Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT") registering the initial public
offering of the Company's Common Stock shall be eligible to participate in the
first Offering Period under the Plan;

            (b) employees who are customarily employed for twenty (20) hours or
less per week;

            (c) employees who are customarily employed for five (5) months or
less in a calendar year;

            (d) employees who, together with any other person whose stock would
be attributed to such employee pursuant to Section 424(d) of the Code, own stock
or hold options to purchase stock possessing five
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                                                           Talarian Corporation
                                              2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes
of stock of the Company or any of its Participating Subsidiaries or who, as a
result of being granted an option under this Plan with respect to such Offering
Period, would own stock or hold options to purchase stock possessing five
percent (5%) or more of the total combined voting power or value of all classes
of stock of the Company or any of its Participating Subsidiaries; and

            (e) individuals who provide services to the Company or any of its
Participating Subsidiaries as independent contractors who are reclassified as
common law employees for any reason except for federal income and employment tax
purposes.

      5. OFFERING DATES. The offering periods of this Plan (each, an "OFFERING
PERIOD") shall be of twenty-four (24) months duration commencing on [FEBRUARY 1
AND AUGUST 1] of each year and ending on [JANUARY 31 AND JULY 31] of each year;
provided, however, that notwithstanding the foregoing, the first such Offering
Period shall commence on the first business day on which price quotations for
the Company's Common Stock are available on the Nasdaq National Market (the
"FIRST OFFERING DATE") and shall end on [JANUARY 31, 2002]. Except for the first
Offering Period, each Offering Period shall consist of four (4) six month
purchase periods (individually, a "PURCHASE PERIOD") during which payroll
deductions of the participants are accumulated under this Plan. The first
Offering Period shall consist of no more than five and no fewer than three
Purchase Periods, any of which may be greater or less than six months as
determined by the Committee. The first business day of each Offering Period is
referred to as the "OFFERING DATE". The last business day of each Purchase
Period is referred to as the "PURCHASE DATE". The Committee shall have the power
to change the Offering Dates, the Purchase Dates and the duration of Offering
Periods or Purchase Periods without stockholder approval if such change is
announced prior to the relevant Offering Period, or prior to such other time
period as specified by the Committee.

      6. PARTICIPATION IN THIS PLAN. Eligible employees may become participants
in an Offering Period under this Plan on the first Offering Date after
satisfying the eligibility requirements by delivering a subscription agreement
to the Company prior to such Offering Date, or such other time period as
specified by the Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may set
a later time for filing the subscription agreement authorizing payroll
deductions for all eligible employees with respect to a given Offering Period.
An eligible employee who does not deliver a subscription agreement to the
Company by such date after becoming eligible to participate in such Offering
Period shall not participate in that Offering Period or any subsequent Offering
Period unless such employee enrolls in this Plan by filing a subscription
agreement with the Company prior to such Offering Date, or such other time
period as specified by the Committee. Once an employee becomes a participant in
an Offering Period, such employee will automatically participate in the Offering
Period commencing immediately following the last day of the prior Offering
Period unless the employee withdraws or is deemed to withdraw from this Plan or
terminates further participation in the Offering Period as set forth in Section
11 below. Such participant is not required to file any additional subscription
agreement in order to continue participation in this Plan.

      7. GRANT OF OPTION ON ENROLLMENT. Enrollment by an eligible employee in
this Plan with respect to an Offering Period will constitute the grant (as of
the Offering Date) by the Company to such employee of an option to purchase on
the Purchase Date up to that number of shares of Common Stock of the Company
determined by dividing (a) the amount accumulated in such employee's payroll
deduction account during such Purchase Period by (b) the lower of (i)
eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of a share of the Company's
Common Stock on the Offering Date (but in no event less than the par value of a
share of the Company's Common Stock), or (ii) eighty-five percent (85%) of the
fair market value of a share of the Company's Common Stock on the Purchase Date
(but in no event less than the par value of a share of the Company's Common
Stock), provided, however, that the number of shares of the Company's Common
Stock subject to any option granted pursuant to this Plan shall not exceed the
lesser of (x) the maximum number of shares set by the Committee pursuant to
Section 10(c) below with respect to the applicable Purchase Date, or (y) the
maximum number of shares which may be purchased pursuant to Section 10(b) below
with respect to the applicable Purchase Date. The fair market value of a share
of the Company's Common Stock shall be determined as provided in Section 8
below.

      8. PURCHASE PRICE. The purchase price per share at which a share of Common
Stock will be sold in any Offering Period shall be eighty-five percent (85%) of
the lesser of:

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                                                           Talarian Corporation
                                              2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

            (a)  The fair market value on the Offering Date; or

            (b) The fair market value on the Purchase Date.

            For purposes of this Plan, the term "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 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 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 date
of determination as reported in The Wall Street Journal; or

            (d) if none of the foregoing is applicable, by the Board in good
faith, which in the case of the First Offering Date will be the price per share
at which shares of the Company's Common Stock are initially offered for sale to
the public by the Company's underwriters in the initial public offering of the
Company's Common Stock pursuant to a registration statement filed with the SEC
under the Securities Act.

      9. PAYMENT OF PURCHASE PRICE; CHANGES IN PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS; ISSUANCE OF
SHARES.

            (a) The purchase price of the shares is accumulated by regular
payroll deductions made during each Offering Period. The deductions are made as
a percentage of the participant's compensation in one percent (1%) increments
not less than one percent (1%), nor greater than fifteen percent (15%) or such
lower limit set by the Committee. Compensation shall mean all W-2 cash
compensation, including, but not limited to, base salary, wages, commissions,
overtime, shift premiums and bonuses, plus draws against commissions, provided,
however, that for purposes of determining a participant's compensation, any
election by such participant to reduce his or her regular cash remuneration
under Sections 125 or 401(k) of the Code shall be treated as if the participant
did not make such election; provided further, that a participant's Compensation
shall be limited to a maximum of $250,000. Payroll deductions shall commence on
the first payday of the Offering Period and shall continue to the end of the
Offering Period unless sooner altered or terminated as provided in this Plan.

            (b) A participant may increase or decrease the rate of payroll
deductions during an Offering Period by filing with the Company a new
authorization for payroll deductions, in which case the new rate shall become
effective for the next payroll period commencing after the Company's receipt of
the authorization and shall continue for the remainder of the Offering Period
unless changed as described below. Such change in the rate of payroll deductions
may be made at any time during an Offering Period, but not more than one (1)
change may be made effective during any Purchase Period. A participant may
increase or decrease the rate of payroll deductions for any subsequent Offering
Period by filing with the Company a new authorization for payroll deductions
prior to the beginning of such Offering Period, or prior to such other time
period as specified by the Committee.

            (c) A participant may reduce his or her payroll deduction percentage
to zero during an Offering Period by filing with the Company a request for
cessation of payroll deductions. Such reduction shall be effective beginning
with the next payroll period after the Company's receipt of the request and no
further payroll deductions will be made for the duration of the Offering Period.
Payroll deductions credited to the participant's account prior to the effective
date of the request shall be used to purchase shares of Common Stock of the
Company in accordance with Section (e) below. A participant may not resume
making payroll deductions during the Offering Period in which he or she reduced
his or her payroll deductions to zero.

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                                                           Talarian Corporation
                                              2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

            (d) All payroll deductions made for a participant are credited to
his or her account under this Plan and are deposited with the general funds of
the Company. No interest accrues on the payroll deductions. All payroll
deductions received or held by the Company may be used by the Company for any
corporate purpose, and the Company shall not be obligated to segregate such
payroll deductions.

            (e) On each Purchase Date, so long as this Plan remains in effect
and provided that the participant has not submitted a signed and completed
withdrawal form before that date which notifies the Company that the participant
wishes to withdraw from that Offering Period under this Plan and have all
payroll deductions accumulated in the account maintained on behalf of the
participant as of that date returned to the participant, the Company shall apply
the funds then in the participant's account to the purchase of whole shares of
Common Stock reserved under the option granted to such participant with respect
to the Offering Period to the extent that such option is exercisable on the
Purchase Date. The purchase price per share shall be as specified in Section 8
of this Plan. Any cash remaining in a participant's account after such purchase
of shares shall be refunded to such participant in cash, without interest;
provided, however that any amount remaining in such participant's account on a
Purchase Date which is less than the amount necessary to purchase a full share
of Common Stock of the Company shall be carried forward, without interest, into
the next Purchase Period or Offering Period, as the case may be. In the event
that this Plan has been oversubscribed, all funds not used to purchase shares on
the Purchase Date shall be returned to the participant, without interest. No
Common Stock shall be purchased on a Purchase Date on behalf of any employee
whose participation in this Plan has terminated prior to such Purchase Date.

            (f) As promptly as practicable after the Purchase Date, the Company
shall issue shares for the participant's benefit representing the shares
purchased upon exercise of his or her option.

            (g) During a participant's lifetime, his or her option to purchase
shares hereunder is exercisable only by him or her. The participant will have no
interest or voting right in shares covered by his or her option until such
option has been exercised.

      10. LIMITATIONS ON SHARES TO BE PURCHASED.

            (a) No participant shall be entitled to purchase stock under this
Plan at a rate which, when aggregated with his or her rights to purchase stock
under all other employee stock purchase plans of the Company or any Subsidiary,
exceeds $25,000 in fair market value, determined as of the Offering Date (or
such other limit as may be imposed by the Code) for each calendar year in which
the employee participates in this Plan. The Company shall automatically suspend
the payroll deductions of any participant as necessary to enforce such limit
provided that when the Company automatically resumes such payroll deductions,
the Company must apply the rate in effect immediately prior to such suspension.

            (b) No more than two hundred percent (200%) of the number of shares
determined by using eighty-five percent (85%) of the fair market value of a
share of the Company's Common Stock on the Offering Date as the denominator may
be purchased by a participant on any single Purchase Date.

            (c) No participant shall be entitled to purchase more than the
Maximum Share Amount (as defined below) on any single Purchase Date. Prior to
the commencement of any Offering Period or prior to such time period as
specified by the Committee, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, set a
maximum number of shares which may be purchased by any employee at any single
Purchase Date (hereinafter the "MAXIMUM SHARE AMOUNT"). Until otherwise
determined by the Committee, there shall be no Maximum Share Amount. In no event
shall the Maximum Share Amount exceed the amounts permitted under Section 10(b)
above. If a new Maximum Share Amount is set, then all participants must be
notified of such Maximum Share Amount prior to the commencement of the next
Offering Period. The Maximum Share Amount shall continue to apply with respect
to all succeeding Purchase Dates and Offering Periods unless revised by the
Committee as set forth above.

            (d) If the number of shares to be purchased on a Purchase Date by
all employees participating in this Plan exceeds the number of shares then
available for issuance under this Plan, then the Company will make a pro rata
allocation of the remaining shares in as uniform a manner as shall be reasonably
practicable and as the

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                                                           Talarian Corporation
                                              2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Committee shall determine to be equitable. In such event, the Company shall give
written notice of such reduction of the number of shares to be purchased under a
participant's option to each participant affected.

            (e) Any payroll deductions accumulated in a participant's account
which are not used to purchase stock due to the limitations in this Section 10
shall be returned to the participant as soon as practicable after the end of the
applicable Purchase Period, without interest.

      11. WITHDRAWAL.

            (a) Each participant may withdraw from an Offering Period under this
Plan by signing and delivering to the Company a written notice to that effect on
a form provided for such purpose. Such withdrawal may be elected at any time
prior to the end of an Offering Period, or such other time period as specified
by the Committee.

            (b) Upon withdrawal from this Plan, the accumulated payroll
deductions shall be returned to the withdrawn participant, without interest, and
his or her interest in this Plan shall terminate. In the event a participant
voluntarily elects to withdraw from this Plan, he or she may not resume his or
her participation in this Plan during the same Offering Period, but he or she
may participate in any Offering Period under this Plan which commences on a date
subsequent to such withdrawal by filing a new authorization for payroll
deductions in the same manner as set forth in Section 6 above for initial
participation in this Plan.

            (c) If the Fair Market Value on the first day of the current
Offering Period in which a participant is enrolled is higher than the Fair
Market Value on the first day of any subsequent Offering Period, the Company
will automatically enroll such participant in the subsequent Offering Period.
Any funds accumulated in a participant's account prior to the first day of such
subsequent Offering Period will be applied to the purchase of shares on the
Purchase Date immediately prior to the first day of such subsequent Offering
Period, if any.

      12. TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. Termination of a participant's employment
for any reason, including retirement, death or the failure of a participant to
remain an eligible employee of the Company or of a Participating Subsidiary,
immediately terminates his or her participation in this Plan. In such event, the
payroll deductions credited to the participant's account will be returned to him
or her or, in the case of his or her death, to his or her legal representative,
without interest. For purposes of this Section 12, an employee will not be
deemed to have terminated employment or failed to remain in the continuous
employ of the Company or of a Participating Subsidiary in the case of sick
leave, military leave, or any other leave of absence approved by the Board;
provided that such leave is for a period of not more than ninety (90) days or
reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or
statute.

      13. RETURN OF PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS. In the event a participant's interest in
this Plan is terminated by withdrawal, termination of employment or otherwise,
or in the event this Plan is terminated by the Board, the Company shall deliver
to the participant all payroll deductions credited to such participant's
account. No interest shall accrue on the payroll deductions of a participant in
this Plan.

      14. CAPITAL CHANGES. Subject to any required action by the stockholders of
the Company, the number of shares of Common Stock covered by each option under
this Plan which has not yet been exercised and the number of shares of Common
Stock which have been authorized for issuance under this Plan but have not yet
been placed under option (collectively, the "Reserves"), as well as the price
per share of Common Stock covered by each option under this Plan which has not
yet been exercised, shall be proportionately adjusted for any increase or
decrease in the number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock of the
Company resulting from a stock split or the payment of a stock dividend (but
only on the Common Stock) or any other increase or decrease in the number of
issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock effected without receipt of any
consideration by the Company; provided, however, that conversion of any
convertible securities of the Company shall not be deemed to have been "effected
without receipt of consideration". Such adjustment shall be made by the
Committee, whose determination shall be final, binding and conclusive. Except as
expressly provided herein, no issue by the Company of shares of stock of any
class, or securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, shall
affect, and no

                                       5
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                                                           Talarian Corporation
                                              2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number or price
of shares of Common Stock subject to an option.

            In the event of the proposed dissolution or liquidation of the
Company, the Offering Period will terminate immediately prior to the
consummation of such proposed action, unless otherwise provided by the
Committee. The Committee may, in the exercise of its sole discretion in such
instances, declare that this Plan shall terminate as of a date fixed by the
Committee and give each participant the right to purchase shares under this Plan
prior to such termination. In the event of (i) 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 options under this Plan are assumed, converted or replaced by
the successor corporation, which assumption will be binding on all
participants), (ii) a merger in which the Company is the surviving corporation
but after which the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such merger
(other than any stockholder that merges, or which owns or controls another
corporation that merges, with the Company in such merger) cease to own their
shares or other equity interest in the Company, (iii) the sale of all or
substantially all of the assets of the Company or (iv) the acquisition, sale, or
transfer of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Company by tender
offer or similar transaction, the Plan will continue with regard to Offering
Periods that commenced prior to the closing of the proposed transaction and
shares will be purchased based on the Fair Market Value of the surviving
corporation's stock on each Purchase Date, unless otherwise provided by the
Committee consistent with pooling of interests accounting treatment.

            The Committee may, if it so determines in the exercise of its sole
discretion, also make provision for adjusting the Reserves, as well as the price
per share of Common Stock covered by each outstanding option, in the event that
the Company effects one or more reorganizations, recapitalizations, rights
offerings or other increases or reductions of shares of its outstanding Common
Stock, or in the event of the Company being consolidated with or merged into any
other corporation.

      15. NONASSIGNABILITY. Neither payroll deductions credited to a
participant's account nor any rights with regard to the exercise of an option or
to receive shares under this Plan may be assigned, transferred, pledged or
otherwise disposed of in any way (other than by will, the laws of descent and
distribution or as provided in Section 22 below) by the participant. Any such
attempt at assignment, transfer, pledge or other disposition shall be void and
without effect.

      16. REPORTS. Individual accounts will be maintained for each participant
in this Plan. Each participant shall receive promptly after the end of each
Purchase Period a report of his or her account setting forth the total payroll
deductions accumulated, the number of shares purchased, the per share price
thereof and the remaining cash balance, if any, carried forward to the next
Purchase Period or Offering Period, as the case may be.

      17. NOTICE OF DISPOSITION. Each participant shall notify the Company in
writing if the participant disposes of any of the shares purchased in any
Offering Period pursuant to this Plan if such disposition occurs within two (2)
years from the Offering Date or within one (1) year from the Purchase Date on
which such shares were purchased (the "NOTICE PERIOD"). The Company may, at any
time during the Notice Period, place a legend or legends on any certificate
representing shares acquired pursuant to this Plan requesting the Company's
transfer agent to notify the Company of any transfer of the shares. The
obligation of the participant to provide such notice shall continue
notwithstanding the placement of any such legend on the certificates.

      18. NO RIGHTS TO CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT. Neither this Plan nor the grant of
any option hereunder shall confer any right on any employee to remain in the
employ of the Company or any Participating Subsidiary, or restrict the right of
the Company or any Participating Subsidiary to terminate such employee's
employment.

      19. EQUAL RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES. All eligible employees shall have equal
rights and privileges with respect to this Plan so that this Plan qualifies as
an "employee stock purchase plan" within the meaning of Section 423 or any
successor provision of the Code and the related regulations. Any provision of
this Plan which is inconsistent with Section 423 or any successor provision of
the Code shall, without further act or amendment by the

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                                                           Talarian Corporation
                                              2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

Company, the Committee or the Board, be reformed to comply with the requirements
of Section 423. This Section 19 shall take precedence over all other provisions
in this Plan.

      20. NOTICES. All notices or other communications by a participant to the
Company under or in connection with this Plan shall be deemed to have been duly
given when received in the form specified by the Company at the location, or by
the person, designated by the Company for the receipt thereof.

      21. TERM; STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL. After this Plan is adopted by the Board,
this Plan will become effective on the First Offering Date (as defined above).
This Plan shall be approved by the stockholders of the Company, in any manner
permitted by applicable corporate law, within twelve (12) months before or after
the date this Plan is adopted by the Board. No purchase of shares pursuant to
this Plan shall occur prior to such stockholder approval. This Plan shall
continue until the earlier to occur of (a) termination of this Plan by the Board
(which termination may be effected by the Board at any time), (b) issuance of
all of the shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance under this Plan, or (c)
ten (10) years from the adoption of this Plan by the Board.

      22. DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARY.

            (a) A participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary
who is to receive any shares and cash, if any, from the participant's account
under this Plan in the event of such participant's death subsequent to the end
of an Purchase Period but prior to delivery to him of such shares and cash. In
addition, a participant may file a written designation of a beneficiary who is
to receive any cash from the participant's account under this Plan in the event
of such participant's death prior to a Purchase Date.

            (b) Such designation of beneficiary may be changed by the
participant at any time by written notice. In the event of the death of a
participant and in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under this
Plan who is living at the time of such participant's death, the Company shall
deliver such shares or cash to the executor or administrator of the estate of
the participant, or if no such executor or administrator has been appointed (to
the knowledge of the Company), the Company, in its discretion, may deliver such
shares or cash to the spouse or to any one or more dependents or relatives of
the participant, or if no spouse, dependent or relative is known to the Company,
then to such other person as the Company may designate.

      23. CONDITIONS UPON ISSUANCE OF SHARES; LIMITATION ON SALE OF SHARES.
Shares shall not be issued with respect to an option unless the exercise of such
option and the issuance and delivery of such shares pursuant thereto shall
comply with all applicable provisions of law, domestic or foreign, including,
without limitation, the Securities Act, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, and the requirements
of any stock exchange or automated quotation system upon which the shares may
then be listed, and shall be further subject to the approval of counsel for the
Company with respect to such compliance.

      24. APPLICABLE LAW. The Plan shall be governed by the substantive laws
(excluding the conflict of laws rules) of the State of California.

      25. AMENDMENT OR TERMINATION OF THIS PLAN. The Board may at any time
amend, terminate or extend the term of this Plan, except that any such
termination cannot affect options previously granted under this Plan, nor may
any amendment make any change in an option previously granted which would
adversely affect the right of any participant, nor may any amendment be made
without approval of the stockholders of the Company obtained in accordance with
Section 21 above within twelve (12) months of the adoption of such amendment (or
earlier if required by Section 21) if such amendment would:

            (a)  increase the number of shares that may be issued under this
Plan; or

            (b) change the designation of the employees (or class of employees)
eligible for participation in this Plan.

            Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board may make such amendments to
the Plan as the Board determines to be advisable, if the continuation of the
Plan or any Offering Period would result in financial

                                       7
<PAGE>   8
                                                           Talarian Corporation
                                              2000 Employee Stock Purchase Plan

accounting treatment for the Plan that is different from the financial
accounting treatment in effect on the date this Plan is adopted by the Board.

                                       8

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