[issue21625] help()'s more-mode is frustrating

[Ned Batchelder]

New submission from Ned Batchelder:

>From the #python IRC channel:

```
[07:55:29] tonysar	 hello.new to programming and python, i use mac terminal but problem i have is , when i use help function of python to look up something , i lose my prompt and i have no idea how to go back , what i do is close the terminal and restart , is there any way to go back to prompt again ?
[07:57:12] nedbat	 tonysar: type a "q"
[07:57:26] nedbat	 tonysar: it works like the unix-standard "more" program.
[07:58:10] nedbat	 tonysar: looking at it through your eyes, it's crazy-unhelpful that it only accepts a q....
[07:58:42] tonysar	 nedbat: thanks but i can not type anything , after using help(object) i get the info on object i look and there is END at the bottom of python terminal and i can not type anything after or before
[07:59:03] nedbat	 tonysar: what happens if you type q ?
[07:59:24] nedbat	 tonysar: just the single letter q
[07:59:41] tonysar	 nedbat . thanks
[07:59:47] tonysar	 the q worked
[08:01:08] tonysar	 nedbat:Thanks. typing q got me back to prompt again . thanks again
```

Why does help() enter a more-mode for even short help?  Why doesn't ENTER get you out of it?  Why doesn't the prompt have a suggestion of how to get out of it?  Why does it clear the screen when you are done with it, removing all the help from the screen?

It seems very geeky, and not that help-ful.  I'm sure there's something we can do to make this a little easier for newbs.

----------
messages: 219497
nosy: nedbat
priority: normal
severity: normal
status: open
title: help()'s more-mode is frustrating
versions: Python 2.7, Python 3.5

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Python tracker <report at bugs.python.org>
<http://bugs.python.org/issue21625>
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