No way! The Stratitec cables are every bit as good as the Belkins. They have gold contacts too. I've used the Stratitec hubs and they are the best hubs I've ever used.

Bill

: Thanks, but since I'll soon be disposing of this machine, I'm not going to worry about trying to correct the USB connectivity problems it has, and I'll hope for the best with my new DELL when it arrives. I would like to know however how you feel about USB cables. Are the expensive ones, i.e. Belkin Gold series ($20-30), etc., really that much better than generic products? I have four USB devices, Iomega 750MB ZIP, digital camera connection, Lexmark all-in-one, and a Logitech webcam. I use inexpensive cables on all of them and so far have not had any major problems. Should I shell out $100+ for the "Gold Series" cables?