A wise server should queue massive /who replies as much as it does when you request a /list. If it attempts to send you everything at once, chances are that your SendQ will exceed quickly.

Quote:
Even though it's not only %variable length thing in this case, longer %variables would be useful since they can be handled so easily in mIRC ($sorttok, $findtok...).

I agree, but there are alternatives. You can store your data in a hash table and use $hfind to get the desired results, or you can store your data in a window or a file and use /filter to sort them instantly.