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The FAQ mentions bounty, but sometimes a question just doesn't really have a right answer:
In these cases, a bounty, and more answers, won't really help. What is the appropriate etiquette in these cases? Should the question be closed? Left hanging?
- No solution exists
If this is known, then it's fine to add and accept an answer stating there is no answer, and why, under what conditions, etc.
If this is not known, there's really no choice but to leave the question open and use one of the aformentioned methods to draw attention to the question in the hope that someone will be able to offer a bit of help.
- The question as written is unanswerable and unsalvageable
These types of questions are normally closed off quickly, so anything that's totally unanswerable won't remain in the system. Those few that get through will just end up abandoned... there's really nothing else that can be done with them unless they get cleaned up by the original author.
- There may be a technically correct answer, but the asker is unable to utilize it for some reason.
Since there's a correct solution that would work for others, it's fine to accept the answer even if it didn't solve the original specific problem.
Most of the time in this case, the technically correct answer will lead to another solution, or another approach to the problem entirely. At that point, if the author needs help, it would be better to start a new question with a reference to the first one stating why that solution doesn't work in this situation, and repeat this whole process.
I see no reason not to leave it hanging. Several reasons:
If there's no solution, saying so is a valid answer.
If the question is too vague, if the system is working correctly it will be closed as "not a real question" before it's eligible for a bounty. (If it isn't, well, there's flaws in all systems.)
If there are answers that don't apply, it still may be worthwhile suggesting them. This may be useful for other readers, or may suggest a reason, or the OP's restrictions may not be as inflexible as he or she thinks they are at first.
