help("modules spam") prints out "Here is a list of matching modules.  Enter any module name to get more help." before it has even found the modules. This gives the impression that it has found the modules yet it hasn't printed the modules yet. I would suggest that it prints "Searching for the matching modules..." without the newline and then once the matching modules have been found prints "done." (End result will have "Searching for the matchine modules... done." Then it should print "Here is a list of matching modules. Enter any ..."