How to avoid DOS name mangling under Windows 2000?

[Reinhard Koenig]

I'm working with Windows 2000 and Windows 2000 Server in a cmd window. When I
invoke a python script without 'python' prefixed on the command line whose name
does not obey the DOS 8.3 syntax the name is mangled under Windows 2000 but not
under Windows 2000 Server in an error trace. Why? How can I receive an unmangled
name under Windows 2000 without using "python <scriptname>? I need it for a
later import statement.

Thanks

Reinhard