RAM
If you're planning to use Boot Camp, Windows will have access to all the RAM installed in your computer. Since no Intel-based Mac ships with less than 512 MB of RAM, that should be adequate for most users.
However, if you'll be using Windows in a virtualization environment, you must have enough RAM for Mac OS X as well as Windows, since both will be running at the same time. Microsoft recommends a minimum of 128 MB of RAM for Windows XP, but it runs better and faster with more; I'd suggest 512 MB as a more realistic minimum. Microsoft recommends a minimum of 512 MB for Windows Vista, but suggests (as I do) 1 GB as a more comfortable amount.
In short, if your computer has only 512 MB of RAM in total, both Mac OS X and Windows will be a bit squeezed. ...
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