What Is the Relevant Metaphor for This Situation?

[walkitout]

http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2011/developing-verticals-serving-readers-roundtable-5511/

"In the past week, three major publishers have announced vertical communities dedicated to engaging with readers, especially those of genre fiction: Book Country, from Penguin, Criminal Element, from Macmillan, and F+W Crime, from F+W Media and Tyrus Books. It’s been approximately 2 years since the founding of Tor.com, one of the first publisher created community sites for fantasy/science fiction readers. What sort of results are publishers seeing from audience engagement in niches?"

Hmmm, there are publisher "communities" with forums? Let me check that out.

*Quickie visit to Tor.com*

Okay, here's the question. Is this a case of "day late and a dollar short" or "locking the barn door after the departure of the horse?"

Or am I just too cynical?

Comments

[jkonrath.livejournal.com]

It reminds me of everyone who isn't Apple or Google who came out with an app store in mid-2009 or later. "Oh hay, my neighbor said app stores make a lot of money; let's make a competing service with completely overlapping functionality and less usability for a greater cost, and hope people flock to it in droves."