Well if the client only HAS 32 meg of RAM that would be a problem wouldn't it?
Sorry -
Actually an applet only gets as much room as the browser that it is running in allows it. so you have 2 layers of problems, knowing which browser that you are running in and how to manipulate each one, and knowing what operating system that the browser is running on.
I think that you are going to have to try talking to that browser somehow.