os.path : explain behavior?

i adore python since comes batteries included, i built-in functions, lot, unwashed office me.

i have always controlling happily os.path way understanding record route nonetheless recently i finished adult astonishing law python 2.5 underneath ubuntu linux, while traffic twine paint windows record paths :

filepath = r"c:\ttemp\filepa~1.exe"
print os.path.basename(filepath)
'c:\\ttemp\\filepa~1.exe']
print os.path.splitdrive(filepath)
('', 'c:\ttemp\\filepa~1.exe')

wtf ?

it ends adult same proceed filepath = u"c:\ttemp\filepa~1.exe" filepath = "c:\ttemp\filepa~1.exe".

do have thought ? ubuntu utf8 nonetheless i don't feel something it. maybe python exercise messed adult nonetheless i perform any sole tweak i remember.