Mac the Knife,
I agree 100%. Best bet is always a USR Performance Modem. (Do not bother with Winmodems/Modems for Windows, since they are complete junk and their only good use is as a key chain.)
USR has been a leader in Modem Technology and if you are going to be online for a major percentage of your computer usage, then you must have a good modem.
Take Care,
Richard