Microsoft themselves only state that 512mb is suitable for Vista Basic with all other versions requiring 1gb

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/pro...uirements.mspx

Considering that this is the same company that believes Windows XP only requires a 233 mhz processor and 64mb of memory it would be fair to say that Vista runs like a three legged dog on its minimum system requirements...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314865
I have 4gb of memory on my Vista box and it runs like a dog compared to the way other operating systems would with this amount of memory available. Vista does nothing new and provides nothing new other than a shiney new set of clothes, when pushed hard with database or large applications such as video editing Vista groans under the strain... its not worth getting