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.
I just stumbled over this discussion. Where I live, we often use „rice cooker“ for Japanese cars regardless of customization. One reason might be that customized Japanese cars are kind or rare here.
The reason for using it is usually is that the cars are technologically very advanced but not great to drive so they are as if you were driving a piece of kitchen equipment.