can't connect to MySQL via PHP5

[mike wilson]

What I got
Win XP Home
Apahche 2.0.50
PHP 5.0.1
MySQL 4.1.3a

Every time I try to execute this line of code
$dbcnx = @mysql_connect('localhost','root','snoopy');

I get this in the browser:
Client does not support authentication protocol requested by server; consider upgrading MySQL client

I can login to MySQL from the command prompt.
I don't know if this is MySQL thing or PHP.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks,

Mike