update to: I can not get matplotlib to work on a windows xp professional machine

Mitchell,> I have installed the following versions of packages
    Mitchell,> matplotlib 0.87.1 numpy 0.9.5 scipy 0.4.6 GTK-
    Mitchell,> Runtime-Environment-2.2.4-3 pygtk-2.8.4-1 and python
    Mitchell,> does not exit but I had to go get
    Mitchell,> libglib-2.0-0.dll,iconv.dll and intl.dll when I try to
    Mitchell,> use GTKAgg backend. It still gets an error stating the
    Mitchell,> procedure entry point g_assert_warning could not be
    Mitchell,> located in the dynamic link library libglib-2.0-0.dll.
    Mitchell,> So I seem to be getting further but... does anybody
    Mitchell,> know why python could not find the above dll's and how
    Mitchell,> to they get installed? It would seem I need another
    Mitchell,> package?? Regards Gary

Did you set your PATH to point to the gtk lib and bin subdirs as
described on the gtk installation section of
http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/backends.html (see the "Windows GTK
Quickstart" section)

Also, this FAQ may help

  http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/faq.html#GTKPATH

If you get it working, consider posting a short entry in the
matplotlib wiki.

Let us know if you have nay other questions...

JDH