Method and system for computer software application execution

A method and system is disclosed herein for execution of a computer program in which multimedia presentations, such as full-screen broadcast quality video, can be provided on a user's computer. The computer program is arranged video content to decode/decompress associated media data and display the media content regrdless what video decoding and/or playback software may or may not be installed on the user's computer, thus enabling substantially universal access by user's to the multimedia presentations. The computer program and media data files may be distributed on the computer readable compact discs (CD-ROM's), for example, and the computer program is adapted to execute on the user's computer without requiring installation under the computer operating system. The media data files may be encoded such that a digital key or the like is required in order in order to decode the media data for playback, such that a media data file may only be played using a specific version of the program, or by provision of the digital key by way of user input or through a digital communications network such as the internet or a corporate intranet.