To echo tirwhan and jdporter and expand slightly:

• If a "best" answer for a given question exists, many times it depends on how that answer applies to the OP and should not be considered a "best" answer for all situations. For example, choosing an appropriate sorting algorithm and deciding whether or not to slurp a file prior to processing are both highly dependent on the context of the OP. How many elements need to be sorted? How expensive are the sorting comparisons? How big are the files? One size does not fit all.
  
  For this reason, I would prefer that the OP simply update the root post to indicate which replies were particularly helpful. I would hate to see some poor monk read a thread that concludes "slurping is the best choice", then go off and try to slurp a 20 GB file into memory (and inevitably posting to SOPW pleading "I used the best approach, why isn't this working?").


• Multiple replies, none of which answer the OP entirely on their own, can work together to fully answer the OP by each addressing different aspects of the overall solution. One post may comment on coding style or areas that could be buggy, another may address the choice of algorithm, another may suggest a module from CPAN, etc. Each reply could benefit the OP - how would you choose which is "best"?


• This type of question has been discussed before, but often in the context of flagging unanswered questions (which, of course, requires some method to identify appropriate answers). You can use Super Search to find them, but here are a few:
  • unanswered questions
  • Solved? (aka "More On Thankfulness")
  • Making happy nodes

Just my 0.02.

Update: Well, you can add graff, GrandFather, and Tanktalus to the list in the first paragraph. I guess that's what I get for taking the time to Super Search before posting. :-)

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