Cash vs. Credit Cards; Which is Better?

I've never really liked ordering merchandise online but here lately I've been doing it a little more. I'm just not comfortable with putting my financial information on the web and how do I know what I'm buying will be what I expect. These are questions I have concerns about but should I?

When I do order online I always look to make sure the site has security. However, when I think about it pretty much all banking can be done online now and just because you use your card in a store rather than online doesn't mean it's any more secure, right? We are very vulnerable, as we've seen hackers breaking into highly secure sites and institutions.

I sometimes hate that we are so trapped by computers and technology. For example just a few weeks ago my honey and I went to Academy to buy a few things, unfortunately we couldn't because our particular credit/debit card company was having problems. Not the store, not the card reader, not the card it's self but the actual company who holds that account was having computer problems. We could not make a purchase. Had we been on the road traveling and trying to get gasoline or anything out of town I would have been very upset.

Many places won't take checks any longer and some unbelievably won't take cash. Who doesn't take cash? Cash never breaks down, it's pretty secure, and everybody can carry it anywhere. However, you can't shop online using cash so in some ways it's not as convenient. Buying using credit is just easier. It's also easier to overspend when all you have to do is just swipe that little piece of plastic. With cash purchases we probably wouldn't be in such debt because once the cash is gone it's gone.

The government has talked recently of wanting to phase out the $1 bill as it's just not worth carrying, or so they say. I don't know about that, those dollars add up and I personally use them all the time.

The world was a much more simple place back before computers! Do you think cash will soon be a thing of the past? Which do you more cash or credit?