iShell

If you've ever wanted to create your own custom DVDs or CDs from the ground up, you might have come across iShell. Developed by Tribalmedia, this software acts as a comprehensive project manager that lets you bring together different types of media like text, images, and videos into one cohesive project. It’s a bit like having a digital workshop where you can design, organize, and even add interactive behaviors to your content. You can manage everything through four different views: outline, layout, test, and timeline, giving you flexibility in how you approach your project.

That said, iShell isn’t exactly user friendly, especially if you're just starting out. While there’s a crash course PDF to help you get your bearings, the program doesn’t hold your hand much beyond that. You’ll often find yourself experimenting and troubleshooting on your own. To make matters trickier, iShell has a reputation for being unstable it tends to crash or freeze unexpectedly, which can be frustrating when you’re in the middle of something important.

But don’t write it off just yet. If you’re an advanced user with experience in tools like Adobe Flash or Director MX, iShell might feel like a hidden gem. It supports plugins and lets you create custom commands, opening up a world of possibilities for building cross platform CDs with a high degree of personalization. It’s the kind of tool that rewards patience and technical know how.

In a nutshell, iShell isn’t for everyone. Beginners will likely find it overwhelming, but for seasoned creators who want deep control over their projects, it’s a powerful if imperfect solution for crafting custom discs.