i couldn't agree with you more yoda. i like to play with 4 on blitz too. i haven't been able to play for a few days, but i thought they fixed the quitters freezing the rest out. [is it still happening in blitz?] either way, starting with 4, and finishing by yourself takes the fun out of it and is frustrating. friends aren't always available, and sometimes it's fun to play with new people. and like you said, common courtesy goes a long way. maybe a 10,000-point deduction for "unauthorized" quits, and a 1,000 for "authorized", where the other players agree to let them quit, in addition to the "reputation" ding, might improve the experience for all of us.
by the way, my "blacklist" is up to something like 35 players. shameful [and sad]. being able to create or join a game where my "blacklisted" players aren't allowed to play with me and i'm not allowed to join a game they are in, would be really cool. it's difficult to scan 35 players names for the other 3 that are in the game. and if i'm not quick enough about it, i am forced to either quit or play with my blacklisted player after the game has started. if i quit, i get the [proposed] points/reputation ding. vicious circle.....
i'll continue to try and be positive, enjoy the games, and hope for these enhanced changes, along with scorecard saving, multiple green speed options, saving replays in multiplayer games, and a spectator mode.
did i mention beer in the pro shop? :)