Virtual Machines

So, I was thinking about virtual machines, specifically about extending a 32 bit virtual machine to have access to more memory by segmenting the memory. Now, the 8086 supported 1 MB with a segment selector offset four bits, so each segment differed from the one preceding it by 16 bytes. I was thinking about having the segment selector offset 16 bits, supporting a 48 bit memory space and making adjacent segments differ by 64 KB, or I could offset it 24 bits and have a 56 bit memory space, with segments differing by 16 MB. Which is more useful, larger or smaller segment differences? Should I just make each segment distinct, allowing a 64 bit memory space?

>>16
Yes, average researchers use average desktops. I am an average researcher, I do use an average desktop, and I still have processes requiring way more than 4GB of memory.