Dan, Re: 32-bit CPUs can't address more than 3gig of memory (1 gig of the address space is reserved by the bios for hardware)
The actual 32-bit hardware limitation is 3.75GB, because at least 256MB are needed for MMIO. Windows, the BIOS, and any other software can be enhanced to support this.
Re: So 64-bits becomes a big deal at 4gig. How much does 4gig cost? 1GB PC2700 Dimms are $97 so 4GB, more than Pentium 4 can handle, costs $388.
What kind of ghetto memory are you peddling? The larger volume providers such as Crucial sell PC2700 1GB DIMMs for $230.99.