He went back and made a bunch of changes to "The Hobbit" in preparation for the publication of tLotR. He even discusses the changes in a forward to the newer version of the Hobbit.
But I've never once heard fans complaining about this.
would be that the vast majority of the people on this site, and the vast majority of sci-fi/fantasy geeks on the internet, aren't old enough to have known the original version of the Hobbit before it was changed.

Just say NO!
17/09/2011 01:17:24 AM
- 899 Views
Already decided for once I actually am going to put my money where my mouth is and not buy them. *NM*
17/09/2011 01:36:56 AM
- 292 Views
Re: Just say NO!
17/09/2011 04:59:00 AM
- 693 Views
Vader's "Noooo!"
17/09/2011 02:03:38 PM
- 741 Views
Without the fans he'd be nothing
17/09/2011 02:18:39 PM
- 627 Views
he ain't spitting in anyone's face (except Sebastian Shaw's)
17/09/2011 03:13:28 PM
- 732 Views
Because he wont release the real versions
17/09/2011 05:26:31 PM
- 643 Views
I have the originals on DVD. I bet you can find them in shops still.
17/09/2011 07:08:17 PM
- 698 Views
Do you mean VHS? Or perhaps you don't equate "Original" to what the rest of us do.
17/09/2011 11:02:20 PM
- 761 Views
I'm pretty sure that Han shoots first in the DVDs we have, but I'll have to check.
17/09/2011 11:09:33 PM
- 642 Views
Re: I'm pretty sure that Han shoots first in the DVDs we have, but I'll have to check.
17/09/2011 11:50:54 PM
- 658 Views
I watched the 1997 releases at the cinema.
17/09/2011 11:56:24 PM
- 568 Views
Just watched the pivotal scene.
18/09/2011 12:02:32 AM
- 744 Views

Exactly, that's what I have. On DVD.
18/09/2011 12:56:06 AM
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Re: Exactly, that's what I have. On DVD.
18/09/2011 05:10:13 AM
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Which is weird, considering how many want the original only. *NM*
18/09/2011 12:15:51 PM
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I don't think anyone believed the marketing ploy of "these will never be available again". *NM*
18/09/2011 02:59:26 PM
- 263 Views
the "real" version is exactly whatever Lucas says it is
17/09/2011 11:57:36 PM
- 638 Views
I think you're wrong.
18/09/2011 09:35:56 PM
- 552 Views
So why doesn't everyone complain about Tolkien?
19/09/2011 10:46:07 PM
- 670 Views
The obvious answer coming to mind...
19/09/2011 10:53:05 PM
- 773 Views
Re: Because he wont release the real versions
18/09/2011 04:53:35 AM
- 737 Views
There is a lot there that wouldn't have occurred to me, I can admit that.
19/09/2011 03:57:54 PM
- 580 Views
The answer is to ignore the Blu-Ray release and buy the 2006 release instead.
18/09/2011 12:11:09 AM
- 568 Views