To satisfy everyone, a compromise would be:
ctrl-enter: saves changes and closes the edit box.
ctrl-escape: discards changes and closes the edit box.
(actual default keys)
A new selection parameter in the editor settings:
nothing: (default for new users) assumes that clicking outside the edit box does nothing.save and exit: (default for current users) keeps the current behavior (saves changes and closes the edit box).discard and exit: discards changes and closes the edit box. (my preference)
This way, everyone is happy and it provides more choices.