Yeah..solo is reliable alright...but makes absolutely no sense unless your Hashes are high enough to win you at least 1 block in under two weeks or so...otherwise the difficulty changes without you having won anything and your your earnings are seriously eroded...this above all else is why pools exist...well that and the crack effect I have alluded to..
I agree with everything you've said. If the pools could be brought down, people who can solo mine will still be able to earn Bitcoins and secure the network!
Solo mining should be a tool in every miners toolbox.