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
- 889 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
- 289 Views
Re: Just say NO!
17/09/2011 04:59:00 AM
- 687 Views
Vader's "Noooo!"
17/09/2011 02:03:38 PM
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Without the fans he'd be nothing
17/09/2011 02:18:39 PM
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he ain't spitting in anyone's face (except Sebastian Shaw's)
17/09/2011 03:13:28 PM
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Because he wont release the real versions
17/09/2011 05:26:31 PM
- 637 Views
I have the originals on DVD. I bet you can find them in shops still.
17/09/2011 07:08:17 PM
- 692 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
- 755 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
- 636 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
- 653 Views
I watched the 1997 releases at the cinema.
17/09/2011 11:56:24 PM
- 560 Views
Just watched the pivotal scene.
18/09/2011 12:02:32 AM
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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
- 290 Views
I don't think anyone believed the marketing ploy of "these will never be available again". *NM*
18/09/2011 02:59:26 PM
- 257 Views
the "real" version is exactly whatever Lucas says it is
17/09/2011 11:57:36 PM
- 633 Views
I think you're wrong.
18/09/2011 09:35:56 PM
- 544 Views
So why doesn't everyone complain about Tolkien?
19/09/2011 10:46:07 PM
- 662 Views
The obvious answer coming to mind...
19/09/2011 10:53:05 PM
- 765 Views
Re: Because he wont release the real versions
18/09/2011 04:53:35 AM
- 727 Views
There is a lot there that wouldn't have occurred to me, I can admit that.
19/09/2011 03:57:54 PM
- 570 Views
The answer is to ignore the Blu-Ray release and buy the 2006 release instead.
18/09/2011 12:11:09 AM
- 564 Views