In Mac OS or Mac OS X, why do my windows display items in list mode in reverse alphabetical order?

All versions of Mac OS and Mac OS X have the option of viewing items in a Finder window as a list. In Mac OS 8.1 and higher, however, you may toggle the sort order for the list from forward to reverse.

In Mac OS X, to change the sort order, click the Name header bar. The triangle on the right side of the Name header will flip up or down, indicating whether the sorting is by forward or reverse alphabetical order. You can also toggle the sort order under the Date Modified, Size, or Kind headings by clicking the appropriate header bar. The triangle in each header will flip up or down, toggling the sort order between forward and reverse.

In Mac OS 8.1 through 9.x, click the broken triangle above the scroll bar area on the right side of the window. If the contents of a Finder window display in reverse alphabetical order but this is not what you prefer, click the broken triangle so that it points upward. The triangle will also toggle the sort order when the window is set to display by Size, Kind, or Date Modified. To change how the window displays items in list view, click the appropriate button near the top of the window.

Also see:

• What are the major differences between versions of the Macintosh operating system?
• For Mac OS and Mac OS X, are there any tutorial programs?
• In Mac OS X, how can I take a picture of the screen?
• For Mac OS X, what are some useful keyboard commands?