If you value Guinea Lynx and all it has to offer, please help support the site!
Guinea Lynx depends on donations to stay online. While contributing to expenses is voluntary, your donation means Guinea Lynx will be here for those who need it. If you have never contributed, make this the year you start!
Should you wish to send a donation by check, email me for my mailing address.
Due to changes Paypal has made, I am no longer accepting donations through them so if you want to help out, donation by check is greatly appreciated.
Though I am still committed to keeping Guinea Lynx Google-ad-free (THIS is what Guinea Lynx could look like without your help! https://www.guinealynx.info/sample.html ). In 2020 I tried out the Amazon Affiliate program to help pay for the basic costs associated with running this board (hosting/internet, etc.) which have unfortunately increased. By using affiliate links in the guide or at the bottom of the page, a small portion of your Amazon purchase may go to Guinea Lynx, at no cost to you. If you can't make a direct donation, please consider shopping on Amazon through our Affiliate links.
Guinea Lynx' Amazon Affiliate Link
As a thank you for any donation received, I can write (or update) a short line of text (a notation) under your avatar/board name - one of your own choosing or "Supporter in '21".
For a $40 donation I can make you an animated avatar (using up to 9 guinea pig pics) as a thank you. Any existing animated avatar can be updated with new pics with any donation.
VERY IMPORTANT! => I do NOT always remember to ask what you'd like your notation to be or if you'd like an animated avatar so PLEASE remind me! (this is my official apology if I forget!)
You all make this board a real community and I'm grateful for your participation here. I am especially indebted to the members who answer questions about guinea pig care and monitor the medical board. Some of you know more than I do!!
I am so proud that you all make a difference in the lives of guinea pigs and in each other's lives - sometimes in wonderful and unexpected ways. And you all absolutely provide the inspiration I need to keep me going so thanks for making Guinea Lynx the great place it is!!
NOTES regarding 2020 and 2021
This past year, 15 board members (a few not even currently active) , one rescue, and a local friend helped to cover 2020's expenses, along with members who used our Amazon associates link at the bottom of every page to indirectly contribute to the board (2020 purchases added an additional $228.24 from Amazon).
At the very end of the year, there was just enough money to renew www.GuineaLynx.com and www.GuineaLynx.info all the way to 2030! - which means I have commited to good health, sound mind (you all will be the judge...), and trying my best to maintain the software required to keep this site running for some time.
This year is likely to be a challenge because the version of mysql I am using will shortly reach "end of life" and will no longer be supported. I am hoping there are no immediate issues with this but eventually upgrading will have to be done. It will be difficult because I have not yet been able to sort out how to simultaneously upgrade board software and mysql. The current mysql version does not support upgrading the forum software and the forum software cannot be upgraded until mysql is upgraded. On top of this, the operating system backing everything is Centos, which will be nowhere come the end of 2021.
Red Hat Goes Full IBM and Says Farewell to CentOS
https://www.servethehome.com/red-hat-go ... to-centos/
CENTOS IS DEAD, LONG LIVE CENTOS
https://hackaday.com/2020/12/09/centos- ... 20schedule.
There is more. The server control panel that so many websites depend on was bought out in August of 2018 by Oakley Capital (who already owns Plesk, the other main competing platform) resulting in the cost of using CPanel essentially skyrocketing (Oakley Capital has lots of debt). My current host made a modest increase last year to cover some of the costs but in 2021, they are expected to be much higher, not to mention that my OWN hosting company is hiking their costs.
I have limited abilities so parts of this year may be rocky. Each of these issues is a challenge. A smarter person than I would have all the current software uptodate and would have moved to a less expensive host and would be using a less expensive vps interface (some are open source but may also be less secure and require more knowledge) instead of the industry standard and increasingly expensive CPanel.
Anyway, your contributions are greatly appreciated. Last year, early donations made all the difference - I was not as worried about the end of the year as I was in 2019. I do not know what will happen this year as far as costs go but hope, with your help to be able to cover them.
Thanks again to you all for being a part of Guinea Lynx!