Serving Simple Word Documents

[patriotseminar72]

I am currently making a website where I would like users to be able to upload word documents (most likely .doc or .rtf files) and then be able to download these file.
I do not want it to specifically be a document file host, because I want to allow everyone with access to the website the ability to download the files.
Also, a key component would be a password protection system. I do not need it to have usernames and registration - I just need some form of protection so that only people I know can get access to it. I was thinking about trying out the cpanel password protected directories.

So basically, would I be allowed to do this - I don't really think it would fall under a file hosting service, because its more like collaboration, but if it does I guess I will just try to find something else. And if that is the case, does anyone have any recommendations.

And, if I am allowed to do this, does anyone know of any free scripts that would make this work? I guess something like php post would work for the upload (I can manage that). But the problem would be, how would I set it up to take the uploader's name, file name, and file description? And how could I display that?

[descalzo]

Try looking at Google Apps(Standard [free] Edition) Their Google Docs sounds like what you want.

[patriotseminar72]

The problem with Google Docs is that, I don't want to require my users to have to register. I only want them to have to put in a password (and/or username). I want this to be universal (as in work for everyone).
I think I can just use a php file management script - there are tons out there. But, I want to know if I am allowed to do this on x10hosting's free service.

[descalzo]

They don't all have to register. You create the main account and then create a 'team' account that they can all use.

[patriotseminar72]

They don't all have to register. You create the main account and then create a 'team' account that they can all use.

That is a good idea! but, everyone seems to be fine with installing software all of a sudden, so we are using dropbox instead, haha.

[essellar]

Just as a point of interest, though, if your website is "about" collaboration, then storing the files becomes a legitimate use of your free hosting account. One would generally create them as "attachments" to a web document (all that means in a PHP environment, really, is that the file is stored in the file system -- although BLOB storage in a database table is also a possibility -- and is linked to by an indexed web page for easy retrieval). If there is a significant number of files involved, being able to search a database rather than browse a file system can be a real time-saver.

Of course, for real collaboration, you could always use a WYSIWYG textarea widget like TinyMCE or CKEditor (formerly and unfortunately called FCKEditor, "FCK" being the initials of the developer, who didn't get how that might "slip" in English) to create and modify the documents, then use something like FPDF or the HTML2PDF service (which does wonderful document renders using the Webkit browser core before converting) to output a "frozen" version on approval/consensus. It's an alternative to Google Apps, and it's easy to manage shared editing (with Google Apps you can often see someone else's real-time edits happening while you're working, and that can be rather disconcerting if you've never experienced it before).