Hey all! Thought I’d start this discussion to see how you all go about customizing your systems.

I’ve been using a mostly default system for a while, both on my work and personal laptops, because at a certain point the whole customization thing just became too much work, I lost configs and I never really felt like spending much time on it anymore.

At a point I might’ve had a cool look going, but I was never able to get all of my programs using it correctly (GTK vs QT problems if I remember correctly), there was no good obvious way to backup my configs and transitioning them to a new system.

And I know that some tools have popped up in the meantime to make this whole process easier, but being away from it all for a while, I’m sure whatever used to be cool a few years ago has been replaced by something else now.

So I’m interested to know how you go about customizing your systems.

  • Do you use any tools to auto generate configs or color schemes?

  • What is your general workflow when you start customizing?

  • Do you use any backup methods and keep your rices stored/archived, or do you just toss everything out and start anew whenever you feel bored?

  • When you set up a new system or distro, do you immediately customize the hell out of it, or do you slowly change things as you go?

Cheers!

  • Sir Aramis
    5•1 year ago

    I’ve set up a bunch of config files on my GitHub, so I clone the repo into my distro and symlink it to set up a bunch of stuff. I’ve also written a script that can install all my programs by reading through a text file. It’s helpful to get up and running quickly

  • ImRev
    5•1 year ago

    Hi, i’m kinda new to ricing but i will try to answer it:

    1. Yes, i’m using pywal for colorscheme sometimes
    2. Looks up for documentation of the program that i want to customize (i.e: neovim, qtile, etc)
    3. Github (and also toss everything out because i’m bored, don’t do what i did)
    4. Depends. If it a minimal distro (btw), yes. If it a complete distro, i will try to fiddle around first with the default config they have. Then customize the hell out of it I hope this helps :)
  • ash
    3•1 year ago

    My answers to your questions in order:

    • No.
    • No workflow.
    • I have periodic backups of the entire system, but I do not organize my configs or anything like that.
    • I only customize the install on my laptop and it is over time, I do not install different distros on it, just the same install ever since I got it. On any other install I usually use the defaults.
    • tablesOP
      2•1 year ago

      I’m curious, what distro do you have on your laptop?

      • ImRev
        2•1 year ago

        Its the overused, bleeding edge one (you know what i meant). Prob will switch to endeavouros/nix though

  • @[email protected]
    3•1 year ago

    I’m not a unix pornograph pro by any means, but I usually do things by hand. If I want an automation, I will make it by hand.

    I don’t have a workflow, as I don’t usually set out to “make something”. It’s just that I want my desktop to show/look/do things a certain way and I will make it do that, and pile it on top of all the other times I’ve done this.

    No backups but I am generally terrible at keeping backups.

    I generally don’t distro hop. When I get a new system I try to port some things that have become integral to my use of any system, and I generally end up with a different config over time by doing step 2 on that system.

  • ansik
    3•1 year ago

    Why ‘Ricing’? I tried searching but could only find explanations of the word related to cars

    • @[email protected]English
      7•1 year ago

      It’s customizing and souping up your desktop to look cool, like car ricing is for souping up your car.

    • Nailbar
      6•1 year ago

      Commonly used to refer to poorly modified Hondas and/or other imports.

      Kinda funny they use that word here.

    • tablesOP
      2•1 year ago

      No idea honestly, it’s the word that the community used back in the subreddit. I think it is exactly a reference to its use in the car world, though

  • @[email protected]
    2•1 year ago
    1. Go through available documentation and look at other people’s configs. Partly learning from, partly blatant ripping.
    2. nix + git!
    3. I get essentials out of the way:
    • basic window/workspace management keybinds
    • status bar with time, workspaces, and volume display

    then add everything else i want later.

  • @[email protected]
    1•1 year ago
    • I don’t use any tools to generate config & color schemes but I use Gradience to generate css for adw-gtk3 & libadwaita
    • Setup WM/compositor, bar & terminal first
    • I upload some of my rices to a GitHub repository
    • Immediately if it’s minimal distro