I don't know how much Firefox has ballooned since 1.0.x, but I had no trouble for a long time using it on a Linux box with 128MB of RAM with some exceptions (images over the screen size, flash), and I use tabs like a maniac. Given that 1GB is 8 times that, I doubt it would be an issue even with other software open. I don't know what you're doing with Eclipse; I assume it might use the lion's share of memory, but you should be able to find out how much you actually use pretty easily. Remember that "top" ([RES - SHR] at least) is reliable for telling you how much most software uses, but not for things like the X server where mapped video RAM is often listed.
The idea that having 1GB or 2GB of RAM is "normal" comes from IT purchasing droids like cluster managers (and the people who sell to them) who are used to spending X amount of money on equipment and don't want their budget cut because they didn't spend all they were allocated. 512MB seems normal to me these days; I could see 512MB being a little tight depending on what you do with it though.
If you do buy the RAM, though, there appears to be no point in getting it third-party. 1GB (in 2 laptop size modules of DDR2) sells for $125, while 2GB is $250, and Apple charges $175 for the upgrade, so you'd have to sell the factory provided modules for at least $50 to break even, and then you wouldn't have them to swap back in if you had to send the laptop in for service.
As far as aesthetics, the MacBook hardware -- at least the Pro version -- screams nothing louder to me than "conspicuous consumption". It is the Rolex of laptops, and the sight of a whole bunch of them in one place is frankly grating to me.
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The idea that having 1GB or 2GB of RAM is "normal" comes from IT purchasing droids like cluster managers (and the people who sell to them) who are used to spending X amount of money on equipment and don't want their budget cut because they didn't spend all they were allocated. 512MB seems normal to me these days; I could see 512MB being a little tight depending on what you do with it though.
If you do buy the RAM, though, there appears to be no point in getting it third-party. 1GB (in 2 laptop size modules of DDR2) sells for $125, while 2GB is $250, and Apple charges $175 for the upgrade, so you'd have to sell the factory provided modules for at least $50 to break even, and then you wouldn't have them to swap back in if you had to send the laptop in for service.
As far as aesthetics, the MacBook hardware -- at least the Pro version -- screams nothing louder to me than "conspicuous consumption". It is the Rolex of laptops, and the sight of a whole bunch of them in one place is frankly grating to me.