Meta post I've decided to make. I enjoyed the unixporn subreddit a lot when I used reddit more. I enjoy customizing my linux de as much as the next nerd.

But you definitely shouldn't use racist slang to refer to the process.

To be clear, I didn't know the origin of the term 'ricing' until fairly recently. I was chattimg with my friend and used it to describe my de setup. They informed me that apparently it's from car customization, and is a pejorative against generally asian men who customize their car to look like a racecar.

After learning this I was sad to realize just how engrained it is in linux de customization culture. I personally have stopped using the term, and I would ask everyone here stop as well.

  • KnilAdlez [none/use name]
    28•10 months ago

    I'm curious if we have a detailed historic analysis of the origin of the term.

    If you want to do the research be my guest, but I'm telling you right now, I've only ever heard the term used to mock an Asian person's car mods.

    If an x86-64 enthusiast made fun of an ARM chip by saying it was "manufactured on a crumpet substrate" would that be an insult against the British

    made fun

    There's you answer. It is disrespect based on ethnicity.

    I never really saw the term widely used to describe a desktop configuration before here

    Then you should be fine with not using the term, right? Why are you working so hard to defend a word you claim you don't see much? You have put all this effort into justifying using a word you have been told several times is racist that apparently other people don't use according to you.