The best comment I’ve read about USB cables goes like this:
You have a 50 percent change of plugging the cable in correctly but get it wrong 80 percent of the time.
O how true!
Apparently, the new Type-C USB 3.1 attempts to solve that problem. Such a solution would be a blessed relief. Even so, let’s not harken back to the pre-USB days of random and various PC connectors. That was truly hell.