Hmm, I've had well over 600 contacts on my combined "buddy" lists at different points. I've just been removing people slowly and saving their names in a text file so I don't totally forget them. I just figure, it's mostly useless to have all these people on there when I never message them.
Like I said above, I'd been trimming it back for a few weeks now, I just totalled everything up when I finished last night. Not much use having contacts for people I never or rarely talk to.
I'll poke you some time tonight on Aim.. see if you still got me.. I know i'm kinda only haressing you with questions about computers.. but.. well.. don't wanna lose ya!