Why do word processing programs assume that, unless you give explicit instructions to the contrary, you're going to want to print everything backwards?

All of the printers I've installed print first page first, but it depends on the manufacturer. If I want the pages last-first I have go to the printer's settings and select 'Collate'. Then it prints the last pages first so that when I pick up the stack its already in a readable order. Usually I forget and have to reverse sort by hand.

If I use a computer lab, they've usually already set the networked printers to collate. I don't know what the default setting is on a Mac -- whether to collate or not to collate.

I can set it to print last-to-first, so the pages are in proper order -- but why is the other the default? Do lots of people prefer their manuscripts backwards?

Have you ever seen a movie or tv show where somebody gets possessed by a ghost, so that the original person disappears? That is one way of looking at the possession of the 1st wave of computer nerds, who were either displaced or taken over by the huge companies. The goal of big companies is to make computers more human-friendly and harness their usefulness to childlike push-button ease, while the goal of a computer nerd is to make computers more useful and 'complete' in their functionality at the expense of ergonomic sentimentality. Once in a while the old possessed computer nerd spirit tries to express itself, and that is when you get these small quirks that don't seem to fit into the overall experience. Of course it makes sense for the pages to automatically collate for you, but that would not allow you to enjoy having a cool button that lets you print them backwards.

The default is set to print the first page first and the last page last. In most printers, that is the right way to print, since speedy printers like most laser printers (used in offices) will eject the page with the printed side FACE DOWN and the blank side on top. So the second page is printed on top of the first page. When you take the pages out and look at the printed page one, the printed page two is right behind it.

Some printers, though, like most inkjet printers, spit out the page with the printed side face up. So the printed side of the second page is on top of the printed side of the first page, which is the "wrong" order.

In other words, you think the printing order is incorrect because you have an inkjet printer. Those of us with laser printers think the printing order is absolutely the right way!

Jeff/CompGuy