What Medusa does differently, with sources
Layout in the browser, nothing to install
Medusa runs in any current browser. Adobe InDesign is a desktop program for Windows and macOS; in the browser it offers text editing with InCopy on the web (beta) and review links.
Source: Adobe: InDesign technical requirements · Adobe: Edit InDesign documents with InCopy on the web (beta) · Adobe: Share documents with review links
At the same time in the same document
In Medusa several people work on the layout at once, even in the same paragraph. InCopy on the web edits text only and locks a frame while someone is writing in it.
Source: Adobe: Edit InDesign documents with InCopy on the web (beta)
Proofing without an account
Clients change text through a link right in the locked layout and approve it, without an account. InCopy on the web needs an Adobe ID.
Source: Adobe: Edit InDesign documents with InCopy on the web (beta)
Barcodes beyond the QR code
Medusa sets EAN, ISBN, UPC, Code 128, GS1-128, QR, DataMatrix and PDF417 as vectors, per record too. The InDesign help describes a generator for QR codes.
All built in, no add-ons
New figures: the chart follows
Columns and bars, stacked and 100 %, lines, area, pie, doughnut and pictogram, from numbers you type or paste from Excel. Linked to a table or an Excel file, they follow every change.
Org charts without pushing boxes
An org chart from an indented list, flows from shapes with text, node diagrams with inputs and outputs. Connectors are straight, right-angled, rounded or curved, and they follow when shapes move.
No calculator next to the layout
Cells starting with «=» calculate: SUM, ROUND to 0.05, IF, references to other tables and document values such as VAT. A calculated field brings the total into the text, numbers align on the decimal point.
No barcode generator needed: EAN, QR, DataMatrix
EAN, ISBN with price add-on, UPC, Code 128, GS1-128, QR code with logo, DataMatrix and PDF417, as vectors in any colour, with check digit and human-readable text, per record too.
Frequently asked questions
Is Project Medusa an alternative to Adobe InDesign?
For multi-page print work, catalogues and ads, yes: Medusa works with paragraph and character styles, master pages, spot colours and prepress checks, opens and writes IDML and runs in the browser. Medusa is in beta.
Can I open files from InDesign?
Yes, through IDML (in and out), with styles, tables and footnotes.
Can Medusa export PDF/X-4?
Yes. The print PDF is built to PDF/X-4, with output intent and XMP identification. Medusa reads the finished file back in and checks it; «PDF/X-4» is only written when the file passes. This is not an independent certification.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Medusa runs in current versions of Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari.
How do I get access?
Create a profile with your name and email address. New profiles are approved by hand; after that you open a document and send the link.
Where is my data stored?
Documents, images and accounts are currently stored with Hostinger, the provider of the medusa.id42.xyz server. The site has no trackers and loads nothing from third parties, not even fonts. Background removal runs in the browser; the image never leaves your computer. AI features only run when you switch them on.
Do clients need an account?
No. A link is enough to correct and approve; the layout stays locked.
Does it also work on the phone?
Reading, commenting, changing text, approving: yes. Designing on a bigger screen.