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DON'TSTOP
01-12-2008, 09:36 AM
Would you trust www.ronpaultoolbar.com? do they really support Ron Paul campaign or is it scam?

szczebrzeszyn
01-12-2008, 09:44 AM
I don't trust any toolbar, thus I have none on my desktop and it's not going to change..

Oliver
01-12-2008, 10:16 AM
I don't trust any toolbar, thus I have none on my desktop and it's not going to change..

+1

Never change a running system. :D

Thanehand
01-12-2008, 10:52 AM
No!

For all you know, it could be software that sends out anti-Paul spam from your machine without your knowledge. Toolbars (especially for IE) are mostly evil.

Edit: in fact, I almost say we should remove this thread so nobody goes and tries it out.

smartpeople4ronpaul
01-12-2008, 10:56 AM
I don't trust any toolbar, thus I have none on my desktop and it's not going to change..

+1

rpfan2008
01-12-2008, 11:08 AM
No!

For all you know, it could be software that sends out anti-Paul spam from your machine without your knowledge. Toolbars (especially for IE) are mostly evil.

Edit: in fact, I almost say we should remove this thread so nobody goes and tries it out.

DAMN!!!!

are you serious??? its OUTRAGEOUS... I believe many of us are using that toolbar and I thought it was somthing kind of official toolbar for the Paulites!! :eek:MFG


who is behind that thing..any ideas?

maggiebott
01-12-2008, 11:10 AM
someone from our meetup sent it to me. I have it now so how do i get rid of it.

Yom
01-12-2008, 11:14 AM
I'm using it, and I'm pretty sure it doesn't have any malware or adware in it.

rpfan2008
01-12-2008, 11:26 AM
someone from our meetup sent it to me. I have it now so how do i get rid of it.

(In Firefox)

Click "Hope for America" img and select "Layout Manager"
then Remove.

szczebrzeszyn
01-12-2008, 11:45 AM
It looks OK at first glance, but I'm too lazy to check it thoroughly (I only looked at the Firefox one). I'm still sticking to my web browsing policy though - no toolbars allowed :D

Yom
01-15-2008, 01:17 AM
(In Firefox)

Click "Hope for America" img and select "Layout Manager"
then Remove.

The main logo and Yahoo search bar are grey and can't be unchecked, any other way?

Crickett
01-15-2008, 01:28 AM
I am using it and nothing seems weird..you can always go to remove program and just uninstall it..but I always do a few searches on it every day because I feel like I am helping send RP money. I have spyware on ere, and it seems fine..

Yom
01-15-2008, 01:49 AM
Figured out how to remove it. I don't think it's spyware, but I am wary as to whether or not it's actually donating money to Ron Paul. Plus, I don't really use it (yahoo is crap, I much prefer google), and it's a bit unsightly.

dkim68
01-15-2008, 02:12 AM
No!

For all you know, it could be software that sends out anti-Paul spam from your machine without your knowledge. Toolbars (especially for IE) are mostly evil.

Edit: in fact, I almost say we should remove this thread so nobody goes and tries it out.
You've determined this based on WHAT exactly?

Here is the creator of the toolbar with Ron Paul:
http://www.ronpaultoolbar.com/images/chrisrp.gif

The funds generated do not contribute directly to the Ron Paul Campaign but to all the various Grassroots projects such as The Blimp, Billboards, and Call4Paul.

Fields
01-15-2008, 02:28 AM
Some toolbars may be perfectly safe, but in keeping with good habits it's probably best not to add any as I'm sure many members can vouch for.

dkim68
01-15-2008, 04:01 AM
The guy running the Toolbar project I believe is Chris Lawton, Organizer of the Greer, South Carolina Ron Paul Meetup Group:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/281/

This suspicion and skepticism has no basis in facts. You guys first need to do your homework and then support each other. Sheesh.

RonPaul2012grassroots
01-15-2008, 04:21 AM
The guy running the Toolbar project I believe is Chris Lawton, Organizer of the Greer, South Carolina Ron Paul Meetup Group:
http://ronpaul.meetup.com/281/

This suspicion and skepticism has no basis in facts. You guys first need to do your homework and then support each other. Sheesh.

Chris Lawton is in fact the party behind the www.ronpaultoolbar.com

IMO, there is NO ONE more stand-up, sincere, dedicated, and supportive of Dr. Paul than Chris Lawton.

Those who don't know any better who are maligning Chris's efforts on this project are doing a huge disservice to the grassroots.



.

dkim68
01-15-2008, 05:07 AM
72% against this? Nice grassroots support you dorks. :rolleyes:

nmlifestyles
01-15-2008, 08:42 AM
You can read my story on the front page
http://www.ronpaultoolbar.com/cgi-bin/myapp/app.cgi?refid=11 - and YES it's completely safe & secure.

How do I know this toolbar is safe?

The toolbar has been certified by TRUSTe and is part of the trusted download program. You can also see below that Verisign verifies that the download is coming from FreeCause, Inc.

As Ron Paul supporters, we don't want Big Brother in our lives any more than he already is, so you can rest assured that we respect your privacy.

Furthermore, we don't collect any personal information when you use the toolbar, and the toolbar does not record what websites you visit.

Any Yahoo search you do with the toolbar helps to fund the Ron Paul grassroots campaign efforts, but feel safe knowing your searches remain completely anonymous and can never be tracked to you.

When you click 'download', notice that it is certified for Freecause, Inc.

If the toolbar wasn't signed, it would have Unsigned written in red.

So feel safe knowing you can download the toolbar and spread the word to friends knowing that every search you do benefits the Ron Paul Revolution!


"25" GREAT REASONS TO DOWNLOAD THE NEW "RON PAUL TOOLBAR"!

1. It's FUN
2. It's FREE
3. It's SAFE
4. It's EASY
5. It's QUICK
6. It's SIMPLE
7. It's PRACTICAL
8. It's REAL MONEY
9. It's TOTALLY SECURE
10. It's FOR GREAT RP CAUSES
11. It Leverages the POWER of TOTAL Grassroots Community
12. Digitally Signed to Ensure No Spyware, Adware, Bugs or Viruses
13. Vote on YOUR Favorite Ron Paul Gra ssRoots Projects for FUNDING
14. You Can Listen to Ron Paul Radio 24/7 from the ToolBar (if you like)
15. It's "CONSTITUTIONAL" in Nature! Congress=Popular Votes; Top Ref.=Senate Votes
16. Receive IMPORTANT UPDATES/ ALERT Via Tool Bar vs. email Spam Blockers
17. YOU select where ALL the money goes by YOUR popular vote - VOTE (50%)
18. TOP "10" LEADER BOARD selects where the other 50% of the money goes
19. YOU can share with ALL your Friends, Family and Neighbors
20. Goes on ANY/ALL Computer, Home, Business, Laptop, etc.
21. It's allows for WORLDWIDE/International Participation
22. It's Exclusive to Ron Paul Grassroots Efforts
23. You can personalize it to your location
24. 100% Privacy - NO Spam
25. WEEKLY PAYOUTS!*

What are you waiting for?

DOWNLOADED YOUR "FREE" RON PAUL TOOLBAR TODAY!

http://www.ronpaultoolbar.com/cgi-bin/myapp/app.cgi?refid=11

(Feel free to use this email - PLEASE make sure you use your own referral link so we can credit you correctly on the Leader Board)


* After Pre-Launch

FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ANYTIME!
864-325-6400
800-790-7959

Chris Lawton
Greer, SC

DON'TSTOP
01-15-2008, 08:52 AM
...What are you waiting for?

DOWNLOADED YOUR "FREE" RON PAUL TOOLBAR TODAY!

http://www.ronpaultoolbar.com/cgi-bin/myapp/app.cgi?refid=11

(Feel free to use this email - PLEASE make sure you use your own referral link so we can credit you correctly on the Leader Board)


* After Pre-Launch

FEEL FREE TO CALL ME ANYTIME!
864-325-6400
800-790-7959

Chris Lawton
Greer, SC

Tnx Chris!

amy31416
01-15-2008, 08:54 AM
(In Firefox)

Click "Hope for America" img and select "Layout Manager"
then Remove.

Actually, when I got rid of it in Firefox, it was Tools>Add-ons>Uninstall appropriate toolbar.

After using it, I don't quite trust it. I'll try to find the thread, but it took several requests for them to tell me how to remove it (yeah, I'm a tard). And I wrote them a couple of e-mails about it, and they were nice about telling me how.

Unfortunately, I couldn't support this because of technical reasons.

TheHand
01-15-2008, 09:01 AM
I've been using it and have scanned it with Norton 360, Ad-aware, Spybot, and SUPERAnti-Spyware. All programs were updated before the scans. Nothing fishy. I really think some are passing up a great way to help. Just my 2 cents.

TheHand
01-15-2008, 09:10 AM
Here is the previous thread that I feel explains away must peoples fears. http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=76421&highlight=ron+toolbar

ronpaulbillboards
01-15-2008, 09:13 AM
Thanks for your hard work creating another venue to support grassroots efforts such as ours.

ronpaulbillboards.com

**Edit** Poll results? Didn't know that everyone was so against this. Once the donations start we will report back to ease peoples fears

dkim68
01-15-2008, 10:05 AM
**Edit** Poll results? Didn't know that everyone was so against this. Once the donations start we will report back to ease peoples fears
People are being so paranoid lately. It's gotten ridiculous. :rolleyes:

TNTCAN
01-15-2008, 10:25 AM
No

nmlifestyles
01-15-2008, 10:34 AM
The "Ron Paul Tool Bar" will also be used as a hub to send direct alert communications to the grass roots via desktop NOT email therefore bypassing
any spam filters, etc.

Thanks to everyone we already have close to 3,000 FREE toolbars in the first
10 days ...

Please keep searching ... if you like google (like I do) search google through the tool bar!~

We anticipate going FULL launch shortly - with live download counters and total earnings in real time or close to real time!

Also, use the contact feature for new ideas, we will begin loading plenty of links & resources.

search, search & search ... + SPREAD THE WORD!

THANX!

Chris Lawton

amy31416
01-15-2008, 10:47 AM
Thanks for your hard work creating another venue to support grassroots efforts such as ours.

ronpaulbillboards.com

**Edit** Poll results? Didn't know that everyone was so against this. Once the donations start we will report back to ease peoples fears

Thanks. I'll give it another try if this is posted and it doesn't slow down my computer. I don't always like the search results that Yahoo gives, but it's good to try something different from time to time!

JoBurke
01-15-2008, 11:04 AM
I use it with pride.

Crickett
01-15-2008, 11:09 AM
I use it with pride.

Me too..and it is pretty, and it does not interfere with anything..


http://www.ronpaultoolbar.com/cgi-bin/myapp/app.cgi?refid=28

darbsllim
01-15-2008, 01:43 PM
I can't believe the negativity.

Please, can you guys erase your initial negative posts about the toolbar - most people won't read past the 2nd page - so all they will see are the accusations and the negativity.

We've put a lot of time and energy into this project for the grassroots, lets work together to get Dr. Paul elected, not against each other.

paulette
01-15-2008, 01:50 PM
I've had the toolbar for a while now. I'm happy to support grassroots efforts.

amy31416
01-15-2008, 01:59 PM
I can't believe the negativity.

Please, can you guys erase your initial negative posts about the toolbar - most people won't read past the 2nd page - so all they will see are the accusations and the negativity.

We've put a lot of time and energy into this project for the grassroots, lets work together to get Dr. Paul elected, not against each other.

I agree on the negativity here as of late, take a look at what you posted and try to make positive comments.

You will find though, darbslim, that having so few posts and most all of them being to promote the toolbar will probably raise some suspicions.

I support major things for Ron Paul, 11/5, 12/16, the recount, MLK, and some grassroots support and it just seems *too good to be true* that something that doesn't cost anything for us and is being pushed by new members is something we can trust in.

So, understand where it comes from. We know that our money and time are valuable assets to the campaign, we don't want it squandered nor used for nefarious purposes. Asking for proof, which is yet to come, is not unreasonable.

So please, the proof that this little project is above-board and that the money is going where it is stated that it will be. There are plenty of scams out there, and some with his name on them. It's not too much to ask.

szczebrzeszyn
01-15-2008, 02:06 PM
Asking for proof, which is yet to come, is not unreasonable.

So please, the proof that this little project is above-board and that the money is going where it is stated that it will be. There are plenty of scams out there, and some with his name on them. It's not too much to ask.

I would never trust any binary file in such case, but the extension is built from plain text files, so anybody with a little knowledge can just check it out before installing. I did look at it and just checked randomly for a given strings and didn't find anything strange, but it was like 40 seconds action :) And yes, you can search for any URL address that extension is trying to use (or dynamically build), so you can check eg where the money goes to. So, it's not like it's some sort of black box or Diebold machine :p

amy31416
01-15-2008, 02:14 PM
I would never trust any binary file in such case, but the extension is built from plain text files, so anybody with a little knowledge can just check it out before installing. I did look at it and just checked randomly for a given strings and didn't find anything strange, but it was like 40 seconds action :) And yes, you can search for any URL address that extension is trying to use (or dynamically build), so you can check eg where the money goes to. So, it's not like it's some sort of black box or Diebold machine :p

With all due respect szczebrzeszyn, what? :confused:

In English please! I'm a chemist, not a computer analyst!

Pretend you don't understand computers and OS's, etc, then explain it to me like I'm 5 years old. And to think I used to program in basic (showing my age)...I didn't really understand a thing you said except "binary", "text", "the" and "money."

Thanks!

szczebrzeszyn
01-15-2008, 02:31 PM
With all due respect szczebrzeszyn, what? :confused:

In English please! I'm a chemist, not a computer analyst!

Pretend you don't understand computers and OS's, etc, then explain it to me like I'm 5 years old. And to think I used to program in basic (showing my age)...I didn't really understand a thing you said except "binary", "text", "the" and "money."

I'm sorry :p
What I was trying to say, is that you don't have to ask them to show any proof (or wait for that proof), because many people on these boards would be able to double check it for themselves and eventually confirm it's ok for the rest of the members. That's because the extension (toolbar) is just a bunch of text files written in popular scripting language (popular among web devs/designers) - that means it's readable for anybody that wants to check it out.
I'm no computer analyst or whatever, just an amateur :) Maybe that's why my explanation was a bit sloppy. Or maybe because English is not my mother tongue :p

nmlifestyles
01-23-2008, 08:45 AM
Ron Paul Toolbar is LEGIT - Safe & Secure - My name is Chris Lawton 864-325-6400 - My story is on the front page - feel free to call me with any questions.

amy31416
01-23-2008, 09:23 AM
Ron Paul Toolbar is LEGIT - Safe & Secure - My name is Chris Lawton 864-325-6400 - My story is on the front page - feel free to call me with any questions.

That's great that you say the thing is LEGIT, but there's still no proof that the money actually goes to fund RP grassroots projects.

You've had 8 posts here, all pushing the toolbar. And I really do hope it's legit, but my repeated requests for information showing it have been ignored.

And that doesn't give me a warm & fuzzy feeling about it. I'm sure you can understand.

dougkeenan
01-23-2008, 09:26 AM
I agree on the negativity here as of late, take a look at what you posted and try to make positive comments.

You will find though, darbslim, that having so few posts and most all of them being to promote the toolbar will probably raise some suspicions.

QFT. Glad to hear you finally found the uninstall Amy, I was worried about you on that earlier thread. :)

amy31416
01-23-2008, 09:41 AM
QFT. Glad to hear you finally found the uninstall Amy, I was worried about you on that earlier thread. :)

Thanks. It's actually quite easy, I'm just a doofus sometimes.

If anyone from the grassroots who is running one of the projects this purports to support comes forward stating that they received $X because of this, then I'll support it.

Until then, we have no idea where the money actually goes. Best case scenario: to the grassroots projects. Worst case: to support another candidate's projects or something smarmy.

mysticgeek
01-23-2008, 09:46 AM
http://blogs.howtogeek.com/mysticgeek/2008/01/22/ron-paul-toolbar-installation/

Thanehand
01-23-2008, 10:47 AM
I don't mean to offend or down-play anyone's support, and my apologies to the developer who supposedly posted in this thread. But sorry, simply SAYING a binary file is okay because "it is safe," "seems okay," "scans fine," or "it's certified" does not prove a thing. I've seen too many examples of toolbar applications that claim to be safe and are eventually discovered to not be -- usually because I'm the one fixing it for a panicked friend who installed something that was supposedly safe.

Toolbars, unfortunately, have been some of the worst offenders when it comes to malware and spyware. Until proven otherwise, you should treat them all as potential threats. And by proven, I mean:

Has anyone extracted the XPI source code and ran through it all with a fine tooth comb?

Has anyone acquired the IE toolbar source code and examined it equally as well?

Has anyone done a connection monitoring of the app to verify that all outbound connections from your computer are acceptable and not sending anything questionable?

Has anyone done a registry snapshot before and after the install/run and compared the differences?

Call me a skeptic, but I'm a programmer who's been dealing with publicly traded files for decades, and I know how easy it is to get away with some pretty nasty stuff.

Here's a simple example of what makes me nervous. It appears that the Ron Paul Toolbar is based on the Free Cause Toolbar system (I see a handful of references to it in the extracted XPI code at quick glance and the "certification" is from them). From the Free Cause FAQ page (http://www.freecause.com/help/faq.html#12):


What is autolink?
The autolink function creates links on webpages where they otherwise do not exist, providing links to websites related to important terms within the page you are viewing.

If the autolink functionality is present in the RPToolbar, then it is sending information about the pages you are viewing to a server somewhere so that it can create links "related to important terms within the page you are viewing." You may argue that it is anonymous data, but through simple data mining, associations eventually leading to your identity can be made easily.

Your definition may be different, but that sure does fit within my personal definition of spyware.


Edit: And as MysticGeek just pointed out before me, there are some other potentially scary features of this toolbar (gathering usage stats for example) that you must turn off during install.

amy31416
01-23-2008, 10:53 AM
Thanks for the techie explanation Thanehand. About 50% of it made sense to me ;)

But seriously, that was helpful.

ronpaulbillboards
01-23-2008, 11:16 AM
Hi Chris,

I'm a Founder of ronpaulbillboards.com, we are listed on your site and we have a few questions about your Ron Paul Toolbar website.

The people want to know. Have you paid any grassroots projects yet? If not when do you expect payments to start or update on Toolbar's ability to generate funds. I sent you a personal email to the address you provided and haven't received a reply back in over a week.

We have also recently learned we are also listed on the ronpaulrewards.com site and there are red flags and we haven't been contacted as well.

Any info publicly will alleviate concerns I'm sure.

Thanks,

Harold

amy31416
01-23-2008, 11:19 AM
Hi Chris,

I'm a Founder of ronpaulbillboards.com, we are listed on your site and we have a few questions about your Ron Paul Toolbar website.

The people want to know. Have you paid any grassroots projects yet? If not when do you expect payments to start or update on Toolbar's ability to generate funds. I sent you a personal email to the address you provided and haven't received a reply back in over a week.

We have also recently learned we are also listed on the ronpaulrewards.com site and there are red flags and we haven't been contacted as well.

Any info publicly will alleviate concerns I'm sure.

Thanks,

Harold

Perfect. Thank you Harold, both for ronpaulbillboards.com and for asking the question.

I've contacted them several times and never heard back either, so I call 'foul' on this one.

darbsllim
01-23-2008, 08:57 PM
We just launched the website at the beginning of January so no, nothing has been donated yet.

We donate monthly after the monthly vote has been tallied and divy 50% of the funds raised according by popular vote.

Then we contact the top 10 members who referred the most traffic and ask them where they prefer the money to go, each of the top 10 will have a say in where the other 50% go.

So sorry we haven't given you proof of donation yet, but because the first month hasn't even gone by, we haven't donated anything yet.

Chris Lawton has come on here numerous times to give his phone number, if anyone has any questions, just give him a call to alleviate your concerns.

darbsllim
01-23-2008, 09:14 PM
:confused:

We don't collect any personal information about you.

The only information that is collected is:

1) the sponsored links you click on
2) the ip address that the click came from

this is so that Yahoo can know how much to pay, and to make sure the clicks are fraudulent.

so again, I understand you being concerned, but we've explained it pretty well and given lots of opportunity to personally chat with us about it.

Please refrain from making accusations that we are 'data mining' and installing malware or spyware.

Thanehand - I'm glad you know how to look for suspicious activity - don't you think we've tested and made sure that our toolbar is safe? If you don't believe us then just test it yourself instead of scaring people and smearing our name and our efforts.

I'm pretty disappointed right now that a lot of people think we're installing spyware on their computers because of a select few who keep saying that we're doing something fishy.

We've given you our personal phone numbers to call us and chat about this - we've tried to give you as much information as possible, there's nothing else we can do.

Either you chose to trust us, or you chose not to trust us.

It feels like some of you have obviously made up your minds that the toolbar is not safe and just refuse to accept that it is one of the most powerful tools to fund the revolution out there.

For those who are still open-minded to the toolbar but have questions, 864-325-6400 is Chris's phone number. If you have any questions, call Chris Lawton - thats his cell phone and he's happy to talk to anyone!

For those who are supporting the toolbar, thank you so very much! We're doing awesome, downloads are growing every day and we'll be soon making our first donations (the end of the month). Keep telling everyone you know about the toolbar and help us get 100,000 Ron Paul Supporters to install this toolbar FREE on their computers so we can donate $300,000 per month!

P.S.

This is why I hate post counts...maybe Chris only has 8 posts on here because he's spent every spare minute of the last 6 months of his life dedicated to getting Ron Paul elected elsewhere, Chris has over 6000 posts on his meetup group.

Please people, enough with the accusations, you're only hurting the grassroots - this is a brilliant idea, and it should be embraced.

electronicmaji
01-23-2008, 09:19 PM
I use it never had one problem...

nmlifestyles
01-26-2008, 04:01 PM
Call ME - Chris Lawton (my story is on the front page of the Ron Paul Tool Bar . Com) ANYTIME! - 864-325-6400 9-9 EST

jake
01-26-2008, 04:35 PM
bump

ronpaulbillboards
01-26-2008, 05:40 PM
Chris rocks!

I just had a great conversation with him a few days ago.

He eased my concerns and answered all questions. If anyone has any questions I recommend calling him from 9am to 9pm.

Download and search with the Ron Paul Toolbar and you can help fund grassroots projects for Ron Paul.

Harold

nmlifestyles
01-28-2008, 07:43 PM
Thanx Everyone! Make sure everyone votes before the end of the month we over the $1000 mark in just the pre-launch!!! We will pay the TOP 3 vote getters during this pre-launch! Everyone download your tool bar - surf every day! We'll reset the counters on the 1st!! Get you own referral link/banner and SPREAD THE WORD! Folks, this is FREE MONEY!!!

Chris
864-325-6400
9-9 EST

darbsllim
02-06-2008, 08:06 PM
I know a lot of you asked for proof so:

http://ronpaultoolbar.com/testimonial.shtml

there's the copy of the checks we've sent for January - remember all of this money is generated for FREE

Smiley Gladhands
02-06-2008, 08:54 PM
Cool...I hadn't noticed these questions over the integrity of the toolbar, but I'm glad they were put to rest by the time I finished the thread. I just downloaded the Ron Paul Toolbar. :D

athlon64bit
02-11-2008, 10:02 AM
The RonPaul ToolBar is a virus, according to my Kaspersky antivirus and a person on ronpaulforum.com
It steals credit card details.

Ross

darbsllim
02-11-2008, 08:21 PM
The Ron Paul Toolbar is not a virus, athlon64bit I wish you would PLEASE stop trying to destroy this effort with your negative claims.

If anyone thinks that the toolbar may be a virus, please read this:

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showpost.php?p=1242502&postcount=115

nmlifestyles
02-16-2008, 04:43 PM
The Ultimate Weapon for Funding The Ron Paul Revolution! It's FREE and makes your Ron Paul Life better and more fun.
http://www.ronpaultoolbar.com/cgi-bin/myapp/app.cgi?refid=11

TheHand
02-16-2008, 05:54 PM
It's fine. I've tested it with numerous programs plus looked at the code. I would go in to detail but this whole thing is getting old. Do a search and read the threads about this. Educate yourselves. This is a great tool for Ron Paul!

Eponym_mi
02-16-2008, 06:09 PM
I don't trust any toolbar, thus I have none on my desktop and it's not going to change..

+1000

LittleLightShining
02-16-2008, 06:13 PM
I had it, and I liked it-- all the important sites were right the. The only thing I didn't like about it was that you couldn't clear the search history. I ended up removing it but only b/c my puter is a dinosaur.

nmlifestyles
02-22-2008, 05:22 PM
You can see the Ron Paul Toolbar work for itself ... http://ronpaultoolbar.com/testimonial.shtml