Friends list - bigger numbers = Bigger CPU loads

[JereTHEend]

So, this issue is something I am experiencing, and I want to confirm of this more, and maybe EVENTUALLY see fix (not seeking any immediate work)

So, basically, the friends list portion of steam client has a problem with handling large numbers, namely, if user has high number of frends and steam groups. This reflects as high CPU load, and in even higher numbers; severely degenerated performance of Steam client friends list (opening the friends list can take up to a minute) and slowing down whole PC with CPU load.

I have not gotten any accurate numbers, but waypoints on AMD atholon x64 3600+ dual core processor - what by means is not most powerful CPU, but should you have the most powerful CPU to process a Instant Messenger platform friends list?

At moment I have:
136 friends
76 groups

Impact: High CPU load when friends list is open. Both cores go from 3-17% to 30-55% load. This also renders sever slow downs to games, so if you accidentally open game forgetting to close your friends list, alt+tab and close friends list to render the problem away. Also, ingame community features are slow and unresponsive untill you close friends list what opens automatically with steam ingame.

The worst case:
This was few months ago when I was still unaware of problem and what caused it.

Friends: 125
Groups: 180

Impact: Severe slow down in friends list GUI and High CPU loads (jumping even to 70% at times) - Opening friends list could take from 30 seconds to one minute, rendering ingame overlay also as slow, taking generally 45 seconds to open up. Also, if you tried invite friends from L4D ingame button, it crashed whole game overlay, disabling use of ingame for whole session.


not only this, but what I think of the recent windows 7 death update that was fixed fast; I think there was basis with same problem what is with the current steam - still.

At moment it is not uncommon for a user to be in about 50 groups, and have about 40-80 friends. When compared to my numbers, there would be problems with even those numbers with CPU load, even without user being aware of it.

I hope this could be addressed, with my account, I have re-produced the same symptoms on 4 different PC's I have used to login steam account (own, friend's computers etc.).


This thread is dedicated to discuss the matter, share own input - do you happen to have same problem, or not at all, and comments on it.

[UserU]

When you have more friends, the CPU tends to overload as it displays the notifications of them(unless you turn them off). Plus, the number also influences the time to load.

[JereTHEend]

Originally Posted by UserU

When you have more friends, the CPU tends to overload as it displays the notifications of them(unless you turn them off). Plus, the number also influences the time to load.

This problem is not about the display, since it shows only online friends, but this is straight friends list on and friends list off testing, where straight away, steam being only program on as side of normal virus protection. When being in normal state, steam alone - the load was 3%. If you open friends list, load jumps to 40-50%. as said, this also impacts really badly to ingame overlay.

And it still would need fixing, last time i made note of this comments was only saying how I do not talk to that many people anyway (I do play with many people and talk to other half of many, as well as I am happy to be in the 70 groups what I got into after cutting 115 groups from my list)

I hope this could be addressed - last time when there was the big initial seven compatibility update - it affected whole client, and they could fix (or reverse?) that into normal state - though, leaving Friends list flood like hell.

All discussion and input open still.