Can not get my old Cossacks cds to run on new computer, so bought the game on gig and can play all day against AI players..can you still create internet games like the old days against other people..

Which Cossacks do you mean? ;) For Cossacks II I know it´s still possible, but it seems like the GOG-version of Cossacks II doesn´t support this unfortunately.
But you can buy the steam-version for example. There it is possible to play via internet and it works fine. I tested it myself and there are still players online luckily :)