Ednode is an intelligent recommendation and search tool that enables users of online communities to efficiently query one another for information and support. Ednode seeks to do for person to person communication what traditional search engines have done to connect individuals to web content. As online systems mature, virtual communities such as the Internet are not just hosting documents and media, but individuals as well. Consequently, there are significant opportunities to create tools that connect people to one another as they spend more of their lives online. The most direct pattern of use for the Ednode framework is as a tool that connects novices and experts within a community of practice. In this case, a novice is anyone searching online for help and information on a particular topic. While online media and documents may be useful in some contexts, the novice may find that talking to an expert in his community is the most effective way to master the topic at hand. In such a situation, Ednode's role is to connect the novice to experts within his community who would be of greatest help. Ednode's scope also extends beyond connecting novices to experts in a community. It can be an equally effective tool for connecting two experts who may want to discuss a difficult problem together as colleagues.