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.

    • combat_brandonism [they/them]
      ·
      1 year ago

      applied to Unix desktop customization it was popularized on reddit

      but yeah that's the whole point, before that it was an obviously racist term

      • krolden@lemmy.ml
        ·
        1 year ago

        I thought i remembered a long time ago (early 2000s) that it was actually about using rice based ethanol in your sportscar to boost performance somehow.

        https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna18615542

        https://ftloscience.com/producing-biofuel-from-rice-husk/

        • combat_brandonism [they/them]
          ·
          1 year ago

          at that same time & earlier it was predominantly used to refer to either car enthusiasts themselves or their asian-manufactured, cheap and easy to customize cars. as has been endlessly pointed out in this thread.