I have looked at the answers to the question Can anyone tell me what the suffix “‑fu” stands for?, and I understand what it means.
When, though, did it come into use? Does its spread coincide with the spread of martial arts in the English-speaking world? Are there other examples that appear around the same time, or is this borrowing unique at this time?
I have read the Wikitionary article, and I could not find anything in Etymonline.
Best Answer
Google-fu
The most well known is arguably Google-fu which is first in Usenet on 27th September 2002 in a comp.sys.mac.advocacy post by James Boswell:
Followed soon later on 29th October 2002 in rec.music.christian:
And on 19th December 2002 in alt.arts.poetry.comments:
There's approximately 32 results in 2003, ~121 in 2004, ~279 in 2005, ~318 in 2006 and ~410 in 2007.
Code-fu
13th July 2000 in rec.arts.anime.misc:
2000: ~4 results, 2001: ~3 results, 2002: ~4 results, 2003: ~4 results, 2004: ~12 results, 2005: ~32 results, 2006: ~46 results, 2007: ~94 results.
UNIX-fu
29th May 1998 in aus.computers.sun:
Java-fu
18th November 1998 in alt.motd (from Soda.csua.berkeley.edu motd):
"Your [X]-fu is weak, grasshopper" is a common pattern and may be the source.
Your kung fu is weak, grasshopper
This seems to be inspired by the 1972–1975 television series Kung Fu. The protagonist Kwai Chang Caine often had flashbacks to his childhood lessons, when his kung fu master called him Grasshopper. This is the source of other similar phrases such as "patience, grasshopper", and from the pilot):
Listen to a .wav file.