Opendisc is an Enhanced Music CD application for enabling multimedia content when a compact disc is played on a personal computer. Opendisc asserts that its technology conforms to the Blue Book specification and does not contain copy-protection functions. However, various computer users have reported that it interferes with third-party playback and ripping applications, effectively functioning as Digital Rights Management. Since version 2.0, Opendisc embedded a direct link to a default audio player such as Windows Media Player or iTunes. Because of this, many CDs now simply feature access to a Web site of the specific artist, which features exclusive music, videos, and photo content. Like a Google alert, a user is informed of artist updates via e-mail.
The OpenDisc project offered a selection of high quality open source software on a disc for Microsoft Windows users. The aims of the project were "to provide a free alternative to costly software, with equal or often better quality equivalents to proprietary, shareware or freeware software for Microsoft Windows", and "to educate users of Linux as an operating system for home, business and educational use".
The project was created in September 2007 by former OpenCD project lead Chris Gray, who cited numerous difficulties which he believed were negatively affecting the progress of the Canonical-sponsored project. As of 27 September 2007, the OpenCD project is no longer under active development (the former OpenCD project was replaced by OpenDisc). The last updates to the OpenDisc project seem to have been in September 2012.
Each version contains a GUI menu that offers a description and installer for each program.
Version 12.09 includes what were the latest versions of the following software in September 2012: