--- a/gpp/forums/urls.py	Sat Apr 02 00:12:40 2011 +0000
+++ b/gpp/forums/urls.py	Sat Apr 02 00:47:05 2011 +0000
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
     url(r'^new-topic-success/(?P<tid>\d+)$', 'new_topic_thanks', name='forums-new_topic_thanks'),
     url(r'^topic/(?P<id>\d+)/$', 'topic_index', name='forums-topic_index'),
     url(r'^topic/(?P<id>\d+)/unread/$', 'topic_unread', name='forums-topic_unread'),
+    url(r'^topic/active/(\d+)/$', 'active_topics', name='forums-active_topics'),
     url(r'^delete-post/$', 'delete_post', name='forums-delete_post'),
     url(r'^edit/(?P<id>\d+)/$', 'edit_post', name='forums-edit_post'),
     url(r'^flag-post/$', 'flag_post', name='forums-flag_post'),

--- a/gpp/forums/views/main.py	Sat Apr 02 00:12:40 2011 +0000
+++ b/gpp/forums/views/main.py	Sat Apr 02 00:47:05 2011 +0000
@@ -863,6 +863,47 @@
         context_instance=RequestContext(request))
 
 
+def active_topics(request, num):
+    """Displays the last num topics that have been posted to."""
+
+    # sanity check num
+    num = min(50, max(10, int(num)))
+
+    public_forum_ids = Forum.objects.public_forum_ids()
+
+    # MySQL didn't do this query very well unfortunately...
+    #topics = Topic.objects.filter(forum__in=public_forum_ids).select_related(
+    #            'forum', 'user', 'last_post', 'last_post__user').order_by(
+    #            '-update_date')[:num]
+    topic_ids = list(Topic.objects.filter(forum__in=public_forum_ids).order_by(
+            '-update_date').values_list('id', flat=True)[:num])
+    topics = Topic.objects.filter(id__in=topic_ids).select_related(
+                'forum', 'user', 'last_post', 'last_post__user').order_by(
+                '-update_date')[:num]
+
+    paginator = create_topic_paginator(topics)
+    page_num = get_page_num(request)
+    try:
+        page = paginator.page(page_num)
+    except InvalidPage:
+        raise Http404
+
+    attach_topic_page_ranges(page.object_list)
+
+    # we do this for the template since it is rendered twice
+    page_nav = render_to_string('forums/pagination.html', {'page': page})
+
+    title = 'Last %d Active Topics' % num
+
+    return render_to_response('forums/topic_list.html', {
+        'title': title,
+        'page': page,
+        'page_nav': page_nav,
+        'unread': False,
+        },
+        context_instance=RequestContext(request))
+
+
 @login_required
 def my_posts(request):
     """Displays a list of posts the requesting user made."""

--- a/gpp/templates/forums/forum_query.html	Sat Apr 02 00:12:40 2011 +0000
+++ b/gpp/templates/forums/forum_query.html	Sat Apr 02 00:47:05 2011 +0000
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 {% load url from future %}
 <form action="." method="get" id="forum-query-form">
    <select id="forum-query-select">
+      {% if user.is_authenticated %}
       <option value="{% url 'forums-unread_topics' %}">Show topics with unread posts</option>
+      {% endif %}
+      <option value="{% url 'forums-active_topics' 30 %}">Show active topics</option>
       <option value="{% url 'forums-unanswered_topics' %}">Show unanswered topics</option>
       {% if user.is_authenticated %}
       <option value="{% url 'forums-my_posts' %}">Show my posts</option>