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submitted 10 months ago by blashork@hexbear.net to c/unixporn@lemmy.ml

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.

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[-] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 49 points 10 months ago

Linguist here. Totally agree the term should stop being used. As a practical concern, it would be easier to get people to stop using it if there were another term that was a drop-in replacement.

Yeah, we can say "customize" as the verb, but what about the noun? Sharing "customizations" doesn't really refer to the same kind of DE-specific customization as the other term.

Is there any such word in usage? If not, can we coin one and just start dropping it on forums?

[-] jana@leminal.space 14 points 10 months ago

Spokes. Via "bespoke"

I'm bad at naming things.

[-] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 13 points 10 months ago

I don't dislike it!

Ultimately as a practical matter, people are just way more likely to leave the other term if there's alternatives floating around.

[-] krolden@lemmy.ml 2 points 10 months ago

sounds too forced

[-] ComradeLove@hexbear.net 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

"pimping out", so there's that...

[-] krolden@lemmy.ml 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

i nominate baste/basting/basted

i'll start using it if you start using it.

[-] harry@lemmy.ml -2 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

Hi Linguist, which side of the linguist camp you are?; the one that thinks the meaning of the language is fix and people should be following it or the one that let people decides how the language works and let it change overtime?

[-] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 10 points 10 months ago

There aren't really two sides of the linguist camp. That language changes naturally over time is well documented.

And new coinages are part of that process. ;)

this post was submitted on 22 Aug 2023
141 points (63.7% liked)

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