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layout: page
title: About File Areas
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## A Different Approach
ENiGMA½ has strayed away from the old familure setup here and instead takes a more modern approach:
* [Gazelle](https://whatcd.github.io/Gazelle/) inspired system for searching & browsing files
* No File Conferences (just areas!)
* File Areas are still around but should generally be used less. Instead, files can have one or more tags. Think things like `dos.retro`, `pc.warez`, `games`, etc.
* Temporary web (http:// or https://) download links in additional to standard X/Y/Z protocol support
* Users can star rate files & search/filter by ratings
* Concept of user defined filters

## Other bells and whistles
* A given area can span one to many physical storage locations
* Upload processor can extract and use `FILE_ID.DIZ`/`DESC.SDI`, for standard descriptions as well as `README.TXT`, `*.NFO`, and so on for longer descriptions
* Upload processor also attempts release year estimation by scanning prementioned description file(s)
* Fast indexed Full Text Search (FTS)
* Duplicates validated by SHA-256