List of modules available for import inside Python?

[Anita Kean]

On 2008-09-10, denisbz at t-online.de <denisbz at t-online.de> wrote:
> (snip) ...
>
> So to refine the question:
>    how can I list all modules that might be importable on my system,
>    without actually importing them all ?
>
> (How about a "pydoc2" that's well thought out, doesn't crash ...
> let me ask more knowledgable people, what's a good small help system
> as model ?
> )



I'm constantly finding myself wishing for this feature - 
something of the "apropos"/"whatis" of the linux shell (and debian's
"apt-cache search" and "apt-cache show" which allow you to search
and query before you install). 
(Matlab's "help" and "lookfor" commands cover this too.)

Is there a reason this type of information hasn't been made available
by default in the help system?
I'm constantly using find, grep and Usenet to find out what python tools 
I can use.

Anita