legal use of vmware on FreeBSD _not possible_ (informational)

[Ensel Sharon]

This post is simply an effort to get information archived on the net so
that it is searchable, etc.

Summary:  Circa 2006, FreeBSD 6.1/6.2, it is not possible to legally run
vmware on FreeBSD, and has not been for at least two years.

For reasons difficult to discern, FreeBSD has not put any priority at all
on support for vmware, and for continuing the working, usable support for
vmware3 running in linux binary compat mode.  This method worked well
several years ago, and was (reasonably) up to date with a modern vmware
release.

At this time no modern version of vmware can be run on FreeBSD.  Further,
vmware has discontinued all support and sales of vmware3 and it is
_impossible_ to purchase a license for this product.  It is also
(essentially) impossible to find vmware3 for sale as a used software
product.

The only possibility of running vmware of any kind on FreeBSD is to run a
very old version, and EVEN THEN, it is not a possibility unless you are
holding in your hands, right now, a physical copy of the software.

Your only other option is to break the law and run a pirated/stolen
(old) version of vmware.

Again, the decision to completely dismiss and abandon vmware support and
the needs of FreeBSD users everywhere that increasingly need to emulate
linux, solaris, etc., is a baffling one.  Whatever the reasons behind it,
the results are clear: no vmware for FreeBSD unless you are a lucky one
that bought the software 4-5 years ago, or you steal it.