Learn to resign

@chess240, the ones who should "learn to resign" are those who intentionally leave unfinished games and begin playing new ones. Well, a safeguard for this was enabled for logged in players when the simul feature was introduced. However, this impolite/careless behavior remains unmoderated for anonymous players. Also, at least, it's in English. Some anon cuss at me in foreign languages. They cuss at me when I win, especially a comeback win. They cuss at me when I lose as if they were entitled. "Bragging rights" do not equate to cussing rights (if there's such a thing). I guess some people are just addicted to cussing.

@Toutatis, I'm a slow thinker (with a slow net connection) so I don't/can't play bullet. I encounter trolls that spam me with multiple +15 when they're losing, when they're winning, or even when they're simply bored. (It is embarrassing that I sometimes misclick on the offer draw button when I'm resigning. That probably annoyed my less amicable opponents.)

@Dionysus_god, I often wonder if "planned obsolescence" is a byproduct and/or cause of the "instant noodles generation". There are anon who create 3-hour games, but can't be bothered to wait for their opponent's connection to stabilize. Then again, I think the default "Player has left the game" hover prompt (for English interfaces) before you get connected could be partially blamed for that.

@Unihedron, interestingly enough, some of these "shortened games" players, when they finally try to play games to the end, they find that they can't (easily/naturally) force mate due to lack of practice/experience.

@RenatoEckel, it's okay if they actually continue playing. Some people walk away or rage quit. Unfortunately, those with poor net connections get unfairly lumped with those. The "claim a win"/"call draw" feature was borne from the reasoning that people who leave games are (almost) always losing. I doubt even a crude statistical study was made before that conclusion was made. I've gotten disconnected from more "winning games" than "losing games".

I agree with Little Bobby in that your argument is not compelling at all, but there's nothing wrong with not resigning. I simply don't see any real value in playing out obviously losing positions, let's even say K+Q vs. K or K+R+R vs. K. That's just time you could be using playing a game that will further your chess.

if you're playing someone a lot better than you, there isn't any chance to swindle beyond extreme blunder, and you're down on time its pretty rude to not resign. otherwise feel free to play it out.

When I first started going to a chess club I asked the 2000+ players "how will I know when to play it out and when to resign?". They told me that after I had played enough games I would just know. Now I do.

If you can look at the board and calculate that you can't stop a passed pawn and they're going up a queen, or that mate is inevitable unless they're a total, total tard who allows a blunder stalemate - resign. It makes your games look a lot more professional, cleaner, and like they were played by an experienced player. You're just wasting your time and your opponent's if you're down 3 pawns and a queen and you keep searching for that one square out of 64 that might give you stalemate. It's nonsensical.

If opp does not resign i get a knight and a bishop and train a bit.

If you are like me, under 2000 (unless serious material disadvantage) there really is no reason to resign even if the position looks lost. Lots of tactics to be had, and I enjoy watching how my opponent goes about checkmating me - it offers insight.

What irks me is when the opponent's position is lost and s/he leaves the game till the last 10 or so seconds and all of a sudden starts playing as if you wandered off yourself. It is such a cheese ball tactic and rather rude.

For me personally I see no joy in playing on a piece down and I derive no pleasure from winning such a position because of some retarded blunder by my opponent.
Furthermore, in actual tournaments it is in everyone's interest to conserve energy and concentration for other things than avoiding stalemate a queen up.

With that said: I have missed countless wins because I've been irritated by my opponent's lack of self awareness. It's part of the game.
If you are the kind of player who simply enjoys playing out all positions to the end then you should do just that. Don't let grumpy people like me diminish whatever gratification you acquire from this behavior.

What do you gain from spending time playing out dead-lost positions? Is the handful of rating points your opponent might occasionally gift you by blundering back, or the "pride" you might gain by salvaging a draw or win, really worth that much to you? Are you that shallow a person?
Would you do this at a chess club in real life, knowing that this would likely cause people to avoid playing you? If you wouldn't act this way in real life, why act this way online? Because you can get away with it? Is that the only moral principle that guides your behaviour?

It's been awhile since I went to chess club but I cannot recall that there was some moral obligation to lose games once the position demands it.

I'm not saying there's a moral obligation. But invariably playing until mate says something about the person doing it.