using the free command

[MICHAEL WEAVER]

Does using the free command from a terminal in Ubuntu show the amount of 
total RAM you have?
I ask because I want to find out whether I have enough RAM for running 
Ubuntu as Live from the Edgy Desktop CD with the Orca screenreader on my 
laptop or whether I need to upgrade my RAM?
I also need to find out how to get this information in Windows because I 
am wondering if I have the same amount of RAM on my Desktop which is 
again might be again why I am unable to run Ubuntu as the Live CD with 
accessibility before I decide to install Edgy permanently and maybe it 
is causing the same problem with Feisty because on my desktop I seemed 
to get a beep where I believe it might be asking for boot options but 
when I try F5 and 3, it boots into Ubuntu Live without Orca which causes 
me to have to run Orca manually, set the options, logout and try and log 
back in again only Feisty appears to crash at that point or just gets 
stuck after the the sound of the drums so it won't accept me running 
anything as I tried running Orca from that point because it didn't 
appear to be login in and starting that music for me to be able to do 
the alt F2 Orca which was how I got it to speak the setup.