Is this is bug or something change in Python 2.3

[Jeff Epler]

To expand on my earlier post, here's the entry from the NEWS file about
this change:
    What's New in Python 2.3 alpha 2?
    =================================

    *Release date: 19-Feb-2003*

    Core and builtins
    -----------------
    [...]
    - sys.path[0] (the directory from which the script is loaded) is now
      turned into an absolute pathname, unless it is the empty string.
      (SF patch #664376.)

However, the part about 'is the empty string' seems to be false, or was
perhaps modified by a later change:
$ python2.2 x.py
''
$ python2.3 x.py
'/net/filesrv1/sd3a/users/jepler'

Jeff