[est1895]

This new product works with Windows 7 Pro 64 bit and allows my brother to play Freespace again!  Yeah!

I don't know if it will work with Force Feedback and/or Microsoft Sidewinder sticks.

It comes from Germany from a company called Logilink.  You can buy it on eBay from a UK vendor.

Again, I make no claim that this will work for all sticks, but I tried it and it works for my brother.  It accepts a game port and plugs in as a USB2.0.

Here is the product link page:   http://logilink.org/Products_LogiLink/Cable_Adapters/USB_20_Adapter/Adapter_USB_20_to_Gameport_LogiLink.htm

[S-99]

This type of converter works just fine from my own experience having one when i first played fs2 back in the day. My gravis gamepad xterminator was a gameport pad, but it came with a gameport to usb adapter. Yes, i had forcefeedback and everything using the adapter. You should be fine with one of these.

The logilink product should be fine. I don't know why it needs a switch on top of it. You can probably find a cheaper adapter somewhere else that will do the same job.

[Mongoose]

Unfortunately his won't do any good (or at least much good) for the Sidewinder line.  The Sidewinder sticks used a digital operation mode that was pretty advanced for the time, but it required specific software support, so the stick will revert to a more limited analog mode without that.  My ancient 3D Pro has a toggle switch for flipping between two analog modes (which emulated other sticks at the time), but either one gives up some degree of functionality from the full-fledged digital mode.  An individual in the Descent community came up with a home-built USB adapter design that allows the old Sidewinder sticks to function in digital mode, and a few other people have expanded on it, so that'd be your best bet for that line of sticks.

[S-99]

Unfortunately his won't do any good (or at least much good) for the Sidewinder line.  The Sidewinder sticks used a digital operation mode that was pretty advanced for the time, but it required specific software support, so the stick will revert to a more limited analog mode without that.  My ancient 3D Pro has a toggle switch for flipping between two analog modes (which emulated other sticks at the time), but either one gives up some degree of functionality from the full-fledged digital mode.  An individual in the Descent community came up with a home-built USB adapter design that allows the old Sidewinder sticks to function in digital mode, and a few other people have expanded on it, so that'd be your best bet for that line of sticks.

Well, at least there is a solution for est1895