Password protected page for self-sufficient artist

[Darth Maynard]

Hi,

I am a guitar instructor that maintains his own website. I had a web designer set up the page a while ago and, with my limited HTML experience, do all the editing myself. Simple things like creating new pages of text content, links are not a problem for me.

Recently, I've written a guitar instruction method that I sell to students. What I would like to do is allow only those who have purchased the method to have access to audio files and/or guitar pro files that I would put on one page. I would sell the method to them at the lesson. If they so choose, they could access the internet content (after paying through Paypal) on a page with the files.

Could someone point me in the right direction regarding the proper tutorial for this sort of the thing. I did a google search on .htaccess and it seemed like it was written in Greek. I once got an "HTML for Dummies" and it was a helpful introduction. But the copyright on that book is 1997 and I'm thinking the web has evolved since then.

Your advice would be most appreciated.

Tim
www.timmaynard.com

 

[JMCDesigner]

It might be a bit complicated for you to do it yourself, like you said. Can't you get the web designer to build the page for you? You can either use htaccess, but its risky if you don't know what you are doing, your server settings can get messed up. You could also have a login page, with people you have registered being able to access your files. This woulc be done with a programming language called php, and the hosting company which hosts youe website would need access to it and also a database. Having a tutorial to teach it you and have it sound not like greek would be difficult. And you won't be able to set it up with just html.

If you just want to put a single password on a folder and give that password to people who have purchased your services, here is how you create htaccess files:

http://www.elated.com/articles/password-protecting-your-pages-with-htaccess/

It really can't be explained more clearly than that. Though I would recommend hiring your original designer or someone else. Save yourself hours, and set someone who can do it for you quickly and cheaply!