I'm surprised to see it suddenly in wide use here, honestly. I've been 'in the linux community' for 25 years or so and only started seeing people use it in this context in the last month. Jarring isn't the right word but it seems sudden to me knowing the connotations from the mid-to-late 90s car culture.

I don't know but it seems like it's a 'nix thing.

I was in the Windows customization scene for years and never heard the term "ricing" until I discovered customization on Linux.

I don't think it's racist. I just don't like it. Themes or theming works for me. It just makes me think of the kids who install kali and describe themselves as haxors.

I only know the term form car tuning. And specifically used for tricked out Japanese cars. The term picked up steam after Need for Speed - Tokyo drift.

Besides that it’s also used for Race Inspired Cosmetic Enhancements. Only cosmetics and no performance, the opposite of a sleeper car. In this case it’s a bad thing. And if a word is used in a bad way and has a possible race connection in can be considered racist. If someone feels offended because an it’s race related, just assume it’s racist.

I'm not a part of the demographic who would experience racism around this. So, I can't comment there.

I am a white hipster though. So, I usually call my window manager customizations "artisanally hand crafted".

@const_void nobody cares. If you enter the Linux customization community, see the word "ricer" or "rice", and get offended, you probably need a break from the internet.

bro take your pills