don't give up (updated - I talked to Rory)

"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
11/06/2020 at 11:49 • Filed to: None

I’ll let you all know what he has to say.

UPDATE: Rory wrote me back, and asked if he could call me. We talked at some length about an hour ago. I’m thumb- typing on mobile, so this will be shorter than I’d like, but I’ll give you the Cliff’s Notes as I remember them.

First of all, it was very evident from our discussion that Rory CARES about the future of OPPO (and Jalopnik), as do a lot of the other editors, and wants the best for the community. But he’s just one small piece in a very big media conglomerate, and this time, the lawyers’ concerns over legal liability have won, sadly.

As of now, the G/O decision is that OPPO (on Kinja) will be locked down on the 16th (I believe that’s the right date) and everything wiped at the end of the month. Be thankful it’s not already gone - Rory & others fought to keep it up for a few weeks. Some were ready to kill it immediately, with no warning. He said that a couple of the Jalop guys are working up an informational posts so everything’s clear for us . It sounds like they’re going to try to give us a path to transition to a new site (providing an RSS feed, maybe ?). He said he would be in touch with a couple of the mods here to work out the details.

He understands that value of OPPO to Jalopnik (in various ways) , and sounded genuinely bummed about losing the community on this platform (it’s going to hurt Jalopnik).

So friends , keep it together, capture your content to be safe, wait for more info from Jalopnik and our mods. Change always sucks, but I have faith that our community will remain strong after the dust settles and once we’ve gotten situated on our new platform (whatever that ends up being).

OPPO is dead. Long live OPPO!

Dave

DISCUSSION (100)

vondon302 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 11:55

Guess I better click on some some Jalopnik content.

ClassicDatsunDebate > vondon302
11/06/2020 at 12:01

NEVAR...we’re symbiotic but we’re still petulant.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 12:19

Please do, I’m backing everything up regardless cuz I can’t take this shit anymore lol.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > ClassicDatsunDebate
11/06/2020 at 12:22

I don’t think that word means what you think it means you parasite.

user314 > MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s
11/06/2020 at 12:34

Considering how many times the FP has poached Oppo for content, I’d say they’re the parasite.

Cash Rewards > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 12:34

Patrick george should be listed as the official patron saint of oppo for this exact reason. By all accounts he stuck his neck out for this place and kept the lights on. We made it this far because of him

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 12:35

They wonder why we don’t read the main sites, and they put up adds like this.

Kinja'd!!!

HoustonRunner > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 12:36

After the last scare I disabled my ad blocker for Oppo and Jalopnik.

Mid Engine > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 13:02

Does anyone know WHY they want to shut it down? It seems pretty fucked up to spend years attracting an audience, running a site where you don’t have to pay writers, then walk away.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
11/06/2020 at 13:12

Kinja'd!!!

Stef Schrader > user314
11/06/2020 at 14:01

{ side-eye }

Stef Schrader > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
11/06/2020 at 14:02

Yeeeeah, I’ve gotten some NSFW stuff lately. I think it’s fine to talk about, but like, don’t put a vibrator right there in the sidebar. Folks do read at work.

Stef Schrader > Mid Engine
11/06/2020 at 14:02

Thin herb skin is my guess. Jim Spanfeller can’t take criticism in any form and has been wanting to destroy this place ever since he got here.

Mid Engine > Stef Schrader
11/06/2020 at 14:08

Then why buy it in the first place? Or, ignore the noise and let your management team deal with the day to day. Bizarre

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:11

welp..ive never posted anything that needs saving

but damn im gonna miss you lot (till i find yous again)

and damn im gonna miss doing my f1 things

Just Jeepin' > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:11

Well, shit. Thanks for pushing for us, and for getting the straight scoop.

I suspect this is the end for me, because none of the alternatives feel like an adequate replacement, but this is effectively my only social media outlet and I genuinely don’t know what I’ll do without it.

Hell, this is the only group of “friends” I stay in contact with at all.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > HoustonRunner
11/06/2020 at 16:11

A for effort!

user314 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:12

Well, that’s a bummer.

Kinja'd!!!

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:13

Thank you for your effort on this. Hopefully we can get a working backup solution in place and an actually sustainable replacement.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Cash Rewards
11/06/2020 at 16:13

Check my updated post I just shared. Rory’s doing his damndest, too.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:14

As mentioned before, Oppo is the community, kinja is software. We’ll be ok

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Stef Schrader
11/06/2020 at 16:15

Backchannel info is that it’s the Legal Dept. worried about potential new rule changes and that we’re a liability in that they can’t con trol what we post.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > user314
11/06/2020 at 16:15

But you can't be a media company if there is no media. Well, I guess vibrator ads count as media. No GOOD media.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:15

Really hoping they can manage to keep us up and running!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:15

Really hoping they can manage to keep us up and running!

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:16

E90M3 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:17

I occasionally visited the front page, unfortunately no more. Was hoping that this place wasn’t going away, I’m pretty bummed.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
11/06/2020 at 16:17

This.

Still bummed at the thought we’ll inevitably lose some, though.

ibRAD > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:24

Is the discord the official meeting place?

Party-vi > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:24

Since Oppositelock is going in the shitter, can we post tits again? Asking for a friend.

ibRAD > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:26

guys, it was in the newsletter. You didn’t see it?

user314 > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
11/06/2020 at 16:26

Considering that every bit of legal hassle they’ve ever faced was from the Gawkmodo- employed “journalists” and not the wider user base, I’m calling bullshit on that.

user314 > Party-vi
11/06/2020 at 16:27

What are they going to do, delete the site?

phenotyp > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:27

Man, what a fucking downer. Thanks for getting in touch with Rory, and thanks for the update.

Amoore100 > ibRAD
11/06/2020 at 16:28

I think the DriveTribe is looking to be a good candidate for replacement.

Party-vi > user314
11/06/2020 at 16:29

>.>

<.<

Yes

ClassicDatsunDebate > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:31

Thanks for that Dave! See ya on the other side.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:33

Thanks Dave, and thank Rory for us...any chance we could get him on the Discord if need be?

vondon302 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:33

Thanks! For the update.

sn4cktimes > Stef Schrader
11/06/2020 at 16:40

I think of vibrators as being about as offensive as a slotted spoon. I mean one could use either for anything... ANY thing! But I do understand that I’m not most people (as my wife regularly reminds me) , or employers. So yeah. I feel like maybe not putting it so front and centre would be a better idea. That type of advertising might be enough to keep me off the page at work on a company computer.

Reminds me of a tale: I have a friend who travelled to Brazil years ago. While down there he f ound this great cherry soda pop he liked and thought he could maybe import a case when he was bored in his office one day . Several words in there should never be combined and entered into a search engine... He managed to call his tech support to apologize seconds before his other line went off from another tech rep....

Ssfancyfresh > Party-vi
11/06/2020 at 16:40

Links to some of those old posts still work.

Ahem.

Just sayin.

sn4cktimes > Party-vi
11/06/2020 at 16:41

Holy crap. You LIVE!

Cash Rewards > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 16:48

Thats good to hear. And great job reaching out!

sn4cktimes > Just Jeepin'
11/06/2020 at 16:49

Yeah, I’m signed up on the other platforms just to be there. But I doubt it’ll feel sameish enough to check up on regularly. I get the bulk of my mainline auto stuff from TheDrive and Car&Driver. I once a day, or every other day check Jalop, and am always both pumped and annoyed to see Opportunities content poached. B ut if Opportunity gets axed it’ll become my next RideApart. I’ll just be done with it. I’ll move on from all the GMO sites. There’s other science sites, and other gaming sites I can check up with. My username hasn’t worked on the main sites for years now anyway.

Oppo was my zany everything else and auto stuff place to be. Check a few times a day, or per week, or backtrack after a holiday; all good. The Twitter-ness of D iscord and Mastadon and Insta and Twitter itself are too much for me. Both time and interest wise. I’m just not that device driven throughout most of my days. Hell, I’ve looked and posted more today than the last few weeks combined and that’s just because I’m studying for my Hydraulics exams.

sn4cktimes > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
11/06/2020 at 16:50

You’ve been a pretty prolific poster. Not always stuff I’m into but I’ve followed a lot of your music links.

Mercedes Streeter > user314
11/06/2020 at 16:51

Kinja has some deep and scary bowels if you look hard enough. There used to be (probably still are) communities dedicated to stalking, harassing, doxxing, and threatening Kinja users and writers they hated. In that regard, Kinja communities can be a massive liability.

I can back up what davesaddiction is saying. Rory cares about Oppo and will do the best he can!

ranwhenparked > Mid Engine
11/06/2020 at 16:53

Legal, they're afraid pending FCC rule changes supported by both Trump and Biden will mean they could potentially be sued or fined for content users post on here. Everything from pictures taken from somewhere and reposted without proper rights or credit, to plagiarism of another source, to using material without citation, to posting misleading or false statements. They're also afraid that they could get into trouble from more actively policing users to prevent the above, as we could go after them for censorship.

sn4cktimes > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever
11/06/2020 at 16:56

True, but the meeting hall is getting the sledge hammer. You’ve gotta bunch of people that’ve been meeting “same time, same place” for years. You change either and a lot can fall apart. I’d really like to see the OppositeLock.com page roll into “THIS” but less dumb kinj a’d. I’m on the other platforms but the Twitterness vs forumness/RSS style will likely result in me not following along as much, and that makes me sad. When the Eagle runs again it shall shed the tears of it s people: below 0 degrees washer fluid. Probably some oil too. Likely some ATF. Hopefully no brake juice.

Party-vi > Ssfancyfresh
11/06/2020 at 16:59

I was browsing my post history and Jesus Christ are there a lot of NSFW posts.

Party-vi > sn4cktimes
11/06/2020 at 16:59

Ye. I’ve been locked in a windowless room for a year.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 17:02

Quite likely. While community is the the key, the platform is the glue that holds it all together. And if the platform isn’t great then...I’d probably bail too.

sn4cktimes > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 17:05

Thanks for running point on this.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > sn4cktimes
11/06/2020 at 17:07

i love to share...if anyone wants it be damned

and music is my thing

but i know that other than my f1 posts i dont have much content to share

welp.... i think its time for our dear departed vera

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 17:08

I’m putting all Kinja sites on my blacklist the moment they shut down oppo. They’ll never get another click from me.

Where are we regrouping again?

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Mercedes Streeter
11/06/2020 at 17:10

Yeah, he and the other Jalopnik journalists seem to be trying their best to help us out...hopefully they can help us towards a suitable replacement site idea or some such...

sn4cktimes > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
11/06/2020 at 17:18

Video got kinj a’d...

sn4cktimes > sn4cktimes
11/06/2020 at 17:18

works now.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > sn4cktimes
11/06/2020 at 17:22

well fuck

well unfuck

lol

sn4cktimes > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
11/06/2020 at 17:24

I know. The irony of it not working had me actually laughing out loud.

Cat gave me a side-eye.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > ibRAD
11/06/2020 at 17:29

That and Drivetribe. Discord is for us to plan the future, Drivetribe seems to be a temp place to share stuff.

Stef Schrader > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
11/06/2020 at 17:37

Yeeeeeah, but it still smells like excuses.

(And quite herbal. Rosemary? Thyme? Jim? Probably the last one.)

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Stef Schrader
11/06/2020 at 17:40

I’m sure Jim and the Legal Department are probably on the same page in shutting us down :/

VincentMalamute-Kim > Just Jeepin'
11/06/2020 at 17:42

“ none of the alternatives feel like an adequate replacement, but this is effectively my only social media outlet and I genuinely don’t know what I’ll do without it.”

That’s exactly me too. Discord doesn’t do it for me. But since this is the only online community I have, I’ll see what DriveTribe, Mastodon, or whatever turns out.

Stef Schrader > Mid Engine
11/06/2020 at 17:42

Same thing private equity ghouls do everywhere: Mine a publication for every possible asset they can sell off or gut, destroy it in the process, give no craps about what happens to it, take the golden parachute and run away to ruin the next thing for profit and profit only. They don’t care about the employees, the long-term viability of what they bought , or the product they put out. Only their own paycheck. Fortunately, the individual site staff here is keeping things going in a decent direction and is willing to help Oppo land on its feet.

There’s a special place in hell for that entire business model.

50ford500 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
11/06/2020 at 18:31

That looks like something for a headline in a Jez article

My bird IS the word > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 18:47

They are going to go through all this effort, save oppo, and we will go right back to shit talking kinja and the FP XD

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 18:52

@davesaddiction - any chance you can update and re-post this post if you learn of any more info from the Jalopnik / Kinja crew that are trying to help our butts? :)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Cash Rewards
11/06/2020 at 19:07

My comment just happened to get noticed. Rory gets the credit.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > ibRAD
11/06/2020 at 19:07

One of them, for now.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media
11/06/2020 at 19:09

Right - we need to get it right to keep most everyone together.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Just Jeepin'
11/06/2020 at 19:11

You’re welcome; glad to do it.

Please don’t call it yet - hopefully we can build a suitable replacement. This community it too important for you (and you to us) for you to lose it.

I’m happy to be your friend (no quotes).

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > sn4cktimes
11/06/2020 at 19:12

Hopefully we find a suitable replacement that keeps the general feel of OPPO.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > VincentMalamute-Kim
11/06/2020 at 19:13

LaLD made it work at DriveTribe - we’ll see.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Party-vi
11/06/2020 at 19:13

LOL

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Party-vi
11/06/2020 at 19:14

Self-imposed?

Did you watch Chapp elle’s latest interview with Letterman?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > farscythe - makin da cawfee!
11/06/2020 at 19:16

OPPO will live on.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > sn4cktimes
11/06/2020 at 19:16

Appropriate. LOL

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo
11/06/2020 at 19:17

Sure thing. I hope so, too. Kind of surreal having a long, heartfelt discussion about all this in the middle of Target today... LOL

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
11/06/2020 at 19:18

Not 100% sure, but check out the Discord and the DriveTribe.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
11/06/2020 at 19:19

I really didn’t want to take the time to save the stuff I care about, but looks like I’ll have to... ugh.

Hopefully there’s a workable migration solution to at least archive everything.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
11/06/2020 at 19:20

I will if I learn any more, but I think it’s in the hands of the mods at this point.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > ibRAD
11/06/2020 at 19:20

Oh, man... that’s funny.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 19:20

Done.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > E90M3
11/06/2020 at 19:21

We all just need to commit to keeping this community together on the new platform we decide to end up on.

Just Jeepin' > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 19:21

DriveTribe is growing on me, but i think it’s too awkward to keep up with every post. I could do it on Oppo but the sheer volume of wasted space is defeating me on DT.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > My bird IS the word
11/06/2020 at 19:21

LOL

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly
11/06/2020 at 19:23

I’ve been ugly crying all day.

(not really, I’m a problem solver...)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > phenotyp
11/06/2020 at 19:25

Sure thing, glad to do it. Look forward to seeing you at the new place.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars
11/06/2020 at 19:26

You’re welcome. I doubt it, but he’s communicating with the mods.

Party-vi > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 19:27

No it’s for government cheddar. Also no - it’s on my watch list tho.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > ClassicDatsunDebate
11/06/2020 at 19:27

Sure thing. Glad our community is strong enough to survive this.

Cash Rewards > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 19:28

I like rory. He brought back qotd. He's done good so far

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > sn4cktimes
11/06/2020 at 19:28

Sure thing - he just happened to notice my comment. Credit to him.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > vondon302
11/06/2020 at 19:29

You’re welcome.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Cash Rewards
11/06/2020 at 19:30

And made some great hires.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Party-vi
11/06/2020 at 19:31

Gotta make that money.

I’d vote for that guy... A national treasure.

Cash Rewards > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 19:31

For sure. The old days we'd have stuff get posted (I completely understand why not; talk about liability...), but guys like silvestro at road and track started here

Party-vi > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
11/06/2020 at 19:34

I’m just glad he hasn’t jerked it in front of anyone or tried picking up high schoolers

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Just Jeepin'
11/06/2020 at 19:34

Maybe we can bend it to our will.

I will plan on continuing Best of OPPO wherever we end up, FYI.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Cash Rewards
11/06/2020 at 19:36

We need to make a complete list of all the OPPO alumni.

JBH and puppyknuckles - great photographers.