[fallat]

No, it isn't acceptable. That's why I use tools like vi/m, ed, and sam to open gigabyte sized files. On my intel dual core laptop with 3GB of RAM (yes 3GB, it is weird).

[peatmoss]

3GB... 4GB - 1GB carved off for shared memory graphics?

[u02sgb]

If he has got 4Gb of RAM it's more likely he's using a 32bit OS that can't address the extra memory.