--- vice-2.2/src/arch/unix/archdep.h~	2009-10-21 18:46:46.000000000 +0200
+++ vice-2.2/src/arch/unix/archdep.h	2010-03-11 11:51:47.773489033 +0100
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@
 #define ARCHDEP_KEYBOARD_SYM_NONE 0
 #endif
 
-extern const char *archdep_home_path(void);
+extern const char *archdep_home_etc_path(void);
 
 /* set this path to customize the preference storage */ 
 extern const char *archdep_pref_path;
--- vice-2.2/src/arch/unix/gui/uicommands.c~	2009-10-21 18:46:40.000000000 +0200
+++ vice-2.2/src/arch/unix/gui/uicommands.c	2010-03-11 11:53:07.350154527 +0100
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@
 
 static UI_CALLBACK(load_quicksnap)
 {
-    char *fname = util_concat(archdep_home_path(), "/", VICEUSERDIR, "/", machine_name, ".vsf", NULL);
+    char *fname = util_concat(archdep_home_etc_path(), "/", VICEUSERDIR, "/", machine_name, ".vsf", NULL);
 
     if (!ui_emulation_is_paused()) {
         interrupt_maincpu_trigger_trap(load_snapshot_trap, (void *)fname);
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@
 
 static UI_CALLBACK(save_quicksnap)
 {
-    char *fname = util_concat(archdep_home_path(), "/", VICEUSERDIR, "/", machine_name, ".vsf", NULL);
+    char *fname = util_concat(archdep_home_etc_path(), "/", VICEUSERDIR, "/", machine_name, ".vsf", NULL);
 
     interrupt_maincpu_trigger_trap(save_snapshot_trap, (void *)fname);
 }
--- vice-2.3/src/arch/unix/archdep.c~	2010-10-24 06:12:37.000000000 +0200
+++ vice-2.3/src/arch/unix/archdep.c	2011-03-23 12:15:18.370096657 +0100
@@ -151,6 +151,14 @@
     return home;
 }
 
+extern const char *archdep_home_etc_path(void)
+{
+	char *home_etc = getenv("HOME_ETC");
+
+	if (home_etc) return home_etc;
+	return archdep_home_path();
+}
+
 char *archdep_default_sysfile_pathlist(const char *emu_id)
 {
     static char *default_path;
@@ -164,7 +172,7 @@
         const char *home_path;
 
         boot_path = archdep_boot_path();
-        home_path = archdep_home_path();
+        home_path = archdep_home_etc_path();
 
         /* First search in the `LIBDIR' then the $HOME/.vice/ dir (home_path)
            and then in the `boot_path'.  */
@@ -230,7 +238,7 @@
     if (archdep_pref_path == NULL) {
         const char *home;
       
-        home = archdep_home_path();
+        home = archdep_home_etc_path();
         return util_concat(home, "/.vice/vicerc", NULL);
     } else {
         return util_concat(archdep_pref_path, "/vicerc", NULL);
@@ -242,7 +250,7 @@
     if (archdep_pref_path == NULL) {
         const char *home;
 
-        home = archdep_home_path();
+        home = archdep_home_etc_path();
         return util_concat(home, "/.vice/fliplist-", machine_get_name(), ".vfl", NULL);
     } else {
         return util_concat(archdep_pref_path, "/fliplist-", machine_get_name(), ".vfl", NULL);
@@ -254,7 +262,7 @@
     if (archdep_pref_path == NULL) {
         const char *home;
 
-        home = archdep_home_path();
+        home = archdep_home_etc_path();
         return util_concat(home, "/.vice/autostart-", machine_get_name(), ".d64", NULL);
     } else {
         return util_concat(archdep_pref_path, "/autostart-", machine_get_name(), ".d64", NULL);
@@ -268,7 +276,7 @@
     const char *viceuserdir;
 
     if (archdep_pref_path == NULL) {
-        home = archdep_home_path();
+        home = archdep_home_etc_path();
         viceuserdir = util_concat(home, "/.vice", NULL);
     } else {
         viceuserdir = archdep_pref_path;