Is MySQL transaction isolation levels broken?

I can't seem to get MySQL 5.0.32 on Debian 32-bit Debian to protect transaction isolation levels.

I reduced my problem to its simplest form, tested it using the mysql command line client:

-- On node writer:
--

DROP TABLE test;
CREATE TABLE test (
    name VARCHAR(255)
);

set autocommit=0;
set transaction isolation level read committed;
begin;

-- On node reader:
--

set autocommit=0;
set transaction isolation level read committed;
begin;

-- On node writer:
--

INSERT INTO test VALUES ('bob');

-- On node reader:
--

SELECT * from test;
-- Returns the row with bob in it!!!

      

        
        
        
      

    

Probably related, I noticed the row stays even after rollback!

So my problem is that autocommit is really not disabled and therefore transaction isolation levels are effectively ignored?

Ciao, Sheldon.