Warning: Unpopular Opinions Expressed Herein
I've been a major Star Wars fan since the first time I was introduced to the movies when I was 11. It was love at first watch, to my family's continued chagrin. Now for me, this means 1993, when there were only 3 movies and the EU was just starting to really take off. I remember when the x-wing books were new, when Anakin's fall was still a matter of speculation, and when Luke's love life was a matter of fierce debate (Mara or Callista?), and the utter sense of triumph when he finally married Mara (like he was suppose to :P).
That said, I largely stopped following developments (and participating in the fan-community) when NJO started. For me, what is currently going on with Disney has a lot in common with what went on back then, with the exception that they couldn't actually abandon the previous books.
I remember hearing how NJO was plotted out beforehand, by a group of largely new authors, with little or no input from the previous group or seemingly any desire to have input. It was their vision, and their creation, and they were going to do what they wanted. And also like Disney, they "allowed" some original authors to come back and contribute, but only in certain places. To me, that led to something that never quite felt like it belonged or was proper Star Wars.
Similar comparisons can be made with the uncritical enthusiasm around the Prequels and TFA. 'Prequel hate' might be considered the norm now, but it certainly wasn't when it first came out. As someone who was never fond of the prequels, and had many long debates after watching them with other fans, it is eerily similar.
The irony is that now I have to defend a series of books that I still find deeply insulting, because regardless, they still had more respect and quality than the junk Disney has tried to feed us. Not to mention, having to explain how the prequels were in many ways better than TFA. Gah! Curse you Disney for bringing me here!!!!