for the most part, those that have advanced quickly to level 50 and expected a plethora of endgame content have been disappointed. In my personal opinion, expecting end game content - i.e. lvl 50 but still have tons to do - when a game is new is ridiculous. My opinion is not widespread, and there are a whole lot of unsatisfied players based on lack of end-game content.
Those of us (myself included) who experienced the breadth of content - light side, dark side, republic, imperial, multiple servers, etc. have really gotten a lot out of the game. However, those that made a single character have already run that character "into the ground" so to speak, and had little else to do with that character. BW/EA is trying to keep those that did not experience the breadth of the game "on board" by giving them 30 days to try out the legacy system.
This is not an attempt to alienate those of us that have made multiple characters, but an attempt to keep those that made only one in the community.
If you chose to make 10 level 20 characters, then you have already experienced more of the game than most of the folk with a level 50 character have. Please don't think of it as a penalty that you do not receive your "free" game time, but a recognition that you've seen more of the game than they have - and they're receiving an extra incentive to try out the parts of the game you've played through already.