I played the original Sims Online and LOVED it. I actually ran a few money houses in a few of the towns during the years I played it. I ran a jam making house and I think a logic board house. I LOVED the interactions you had to earn from skill levels (my favorite was Smoke From Ears which I used a TON whenever I got booted offline because my internet connection PLUM stunk back then). I tried FreeSO but I could never see the whole game (it ran in Windowed Mode for some reason). I took a break for a while from the original game and came back to it right before it became EA Online. I wasn't online when it was closed down for the final time. I wish I could play it again.
EDIT: I had one friend who I loved having as a roommate because I STANK at building houses and she was AMAZING at building houses for me. I wish I could find some of the friends I had. I played both male and female Sims. Freaked a few people out when they found out the male Sim they were flirting with was actually a female Sim player LOL