Installation problem

Hi all. I am new user of matplot-lib and Python. I try to

    > find replacement for matlab. Now I use Debian-testing but
    > my experience with it is little. I have reinstalled system
    > few days ago and matplotlib is not working now. If I start
    > python (2.3).

    >> from pylab import *
    > plot([1,2,3]) nothing happens.

    > from IDLE it does not work to.

To run matplotlib from idle, you need to make the following changes to
your matplotlibrc file

backend : TkAgg
interactive : True

See http: //matplotlib.sourceforge.net/matplotlibrc for details on the
rc file and http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/interactive.html for an
explanation of what these settings mean.

JDH