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 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/
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.