I vouch for FTDI chip. Look into the FT232R 28-pin bridge. FTDI made is so easy for us by making the chip a drop in replacement. The usb drivers work flawlessly and require no touch for everyday ComPort protocal.
I struggle with the SSOP package but no big deal. Now if they would only make a few hunded SOIC packages just for little old me, I would consider worshiping the ground they hover over
consider a USB to Serial dongle to be the same thing, but with a db9 header instead of the sip header. There was a recent instructable detailing cutting the injection molded case off a dongle, desoldering the db9 and hacking the innards to expose the +5v logic level signals instead of +/- 10v rs232 levels.