Since I haven't used Windows in years I actually don't know all that much about that POS and tell people so.
Yet in your sig you claim that Windows is failing to do today what Unix did years ago. So how do you actually know anything about Windows today?
they're unlikely to put themselves in a situation where you have the upper-hand
Exactly, if I meet an armed thug with a weapon of my own they are most likely to back down and run away because they no longer have the upper-hand. The average criminal isn't willing to die for the money in my wallet or my TV.
they are presumably being proactive in their pursuit of crime, whereas you are presumably being a "law abiding citizen" and thus unaware of impending criminal activity.
The planning time for most crimes can be measured in seconds, usually right before the crime is committed. Criminals take advantage of opportunities, an unlocked car door, a lone person walking down a dark alley or an open window. Professionals planing crimes against individuals is exceedingly rare because there is very little to gain compared to other things such as bank and armored car robberies.
Also, let's look at our southern neighbors: Guns are very highly illegal in Mexico, yet gun violence there is much, much worse than it is in the US.
Owning an automatic weapon is illegal in most if not all African countries, in some (Kenya for example) it is a capital crime. This hasn't stopped Africa from becoming one of the most dangerous places in the world.
So you think that money is the root of all evil. Have you ever asked what is the root of money? -- Ayn Rand