Lunarr, a document collaboration startup out of Portland, Oregon, has launched the private beta of its service. The service aims to integrate collaborative document editing with threaded email discussions about each document.
With Lunarr, you can take a document that needs input from several people and, instead of emailing it back and forth, use the Lunarr hosting system to collaborate on needed changes. Lunarr keeps track of all related communications between the parties via a history page that Lunarr refers to as the "back" of the page. (It's somewhat analogous to the "Discussion" page attached to Wikipedia articles, except that Lunarr's discussion threads are private, limited to invited contributors only.)
Lunarr has a simple Ajax-based editor for on-screen editing. The system can import .doc, .rtf, and .pdf files as well as any web page. Once imported you can edit the document in Lunarr, with that threaded discussion regarding chanced on the "back." Alternatively, you can just import a link to a document, which also allows you to comment and note changes on the "back" of the page.
To promote their new service, Lunarr has rented a billboard, pictured above, on highway 101 northbound near exit 412. The company hopes that the billboard will drive curious onlookers to check out the website and find out more information.
Lunarr was founded by Toru Takasuka, founder and former CEO of Japanese startup Cybozu, and is self-funded by Takasuka.
