tests: use "compare exp out", not "compare out exp"

Likewise, when an empty file is expected, use "compare /dev/null out",
not "compare out /dev/null". I.e., specify the expected/desired contents
via the first file name.  Prompted by a suggestion from Bruno Haible
in http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.gnu.grep.bugs/4020/focus=29154

Run these commands:

    git grep -l -E 'compare [^ ]+ exp' \
      |xargs perl -pi -e 's/(compare) (\S+) (exp\S*)/$1 $3 $2/'
    git grep -l -E 'compare [^ ]+ /dev/null' \
      |xargs perl -pi -e 's/(compare) (\S+) (\/dev\/null)/$1 $3 $2/'

* tests/chgrp/no-x: As above.
* tests/chmod/no-x: Likewise.
* tests/chmod/silent: Likewise.
* tests/chmod/thru-dangling: Likewise.
* tests/chown/basic: Likewise.
* tests/chown/deref: Likewise.
* tests/chown/preserve-root: Likewise.
* tests/cp/abuse: Likewise.
* tests/cp/backup-is-src: Likewise.
* tests/cp/cp-a-selinux: Likewise.
* tests/cp/cp-mv-enotsup-xattr: Likewise.
* tests/cp/fail-perm: Likewise.
* tests/cp/into-self: Likewise.
* tests/cp/proc-zero-len: Likewise.
* tests/cp/src-base-dot: Likewise.
* tests/cp/thru-dangling: Likewise.
* tests/dd/reblock: Likewise.
* tests/dd/unblock-sync: Likewise.
* tests/du/2g: Likewise.
* tests/du/8gb: Likewise.
* tests/du/basic: Likewise.
* tests/du/bigtime: Likewise.
* tests/du/deref-args: Likewise.
* tests/du/exclude: Likewise.
* tests/du/files0-from-dir: Likewise.
* tests/du/hard-link: Likewise.
* tests/du/inacc-dest: Likewise.
* tests/du/inacc-dir: Likewise.
* tests/du/long-sloop: Likewise.
* tests/du/max-depth: Likewise.
* tests/du/move-dir-while-traversing: Likewise.
* tests/du/no-deref: Likewise.
* tests/du/no-x: Likewise.
* tests/du/one-file-system: Likewise.
* tests/du/slash: Likewise.
* tests/du/trailing-slash: Likewise.
* tests/install/strip-program: Likewise.
* tests/ln/hard-backup: Likewise.
* tests/ls/block-size: Likewise.
* tests/ls/color-clear-to-eol: Likewise.
* tests/ls/color-dtype-dir: Likewise.
* tests/ls/color-norm: Likewise.
* tests/ls/dangle: Likewise.
* tests/ls/dired: Likewise.
* tests/ls/file-type: Likewise.
* tests/ls/follow-slink: Likewise.
* tests/ls/infloop: Likewise.
* tests/ls/m-option: Likewise.
* tests/ls/no-arg: Likewise.
* tests/ls/recursive: Likewise.
* tests/ls/rt-1: Likewise.
* tests/ls/stat-dtype: Likewise.
* tests/ls/stat-failed: Likewise.
* tests/ls/stat-free-symlinks: Likewise.
* tests/ls/x-option: Likewise.
* tests/misc/arch: Likewise.
* tests/misc/cat-buf: Likewise.
* tests/misc/cat-proc: Likewise.
* tests/misc/chcon: Likewise.
* tests/misc/csplit: Likewise.
* tests/misc/df-P: Likewise.
* tests/misc/fmt-long-line: Likewise.
* tests/misc/groups-dash: Likewise.
* tests/misc/groups-version: Likewise.
* tests/misc/head-pos: Likewise.
* tests/misc/nl: Likewise.
* tests/misc/od-N: Likewise.
* tests/misc/od-multiple-t: Likewise.
* tests/misc/od-x8: Likewise.
* tests/misc/printf: Likewise.
* tests/misc/printf-hex: Likewise.
* tests/misc/pwd-option: Likewise.
* tests/misc/readlink-fp-loop: Likewise.
* tests/misc/runcon-no-reorder: Likewise.
* tests/misc/seq-long-double: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-NaN-infloop: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-benchmark-random: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-debug-keys: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-float: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-merge-fdlimit: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sort-unique-segv: Likewise.
* tests/misc/stat-hyphen: Likewise.
* tests/misc/stat-slash: Likewise.
* tests/misc/stdbuf: Likewise.
* tests/misc/sum-sysv: Likewise.
* tests/misc/tac-2-nonseekable: Likewise.
* tests/misc/tac-continue: Likewise.
* tests/misc/tr-case-class: Likewise.
* tests/misc/truncate-fail-diag: Likewise.
* tests/misc/wc-files0: Likewise.
* tests/mkdir/selinux: Likewise.
* tests/mv/backup-dir: Likewise.
* tests/mv/backup-is-src: Likewise.
* tests/mv/diag: Likewise.
* tests/mv/dir2dir: Likewise.
* tests/mv/dup-source: Likewise.
* tests/mv/force: Likewise.
* tests/mv/hard-verbose: Likewise.
* tests/mv/i-link-no: Likewise.
* tests/mv/into-self: Likewise.
* tests/mv/into-self-2: Likewise.
* tests/mv/into-self-3: Likewise.
* tests/mv/mv-special-1: Likewise.
* tests/mv/part-fail: Likewise.
* tests/mv/perm-1: Likewise.
* tests/mv/sticky-to-xpart: Likewise.
* tests/mv/trailing-slash: Likewise.
* tests/rm/rm1: Likewise.
* tests/rm/rm2: Likewise.
* tests/rm/cycle: Likewise.
* tests/rm/dir-no-w: Likewise.
* tests/rm/dir-nonrecur: Likewise.
* tests/rm/fail-2eperm: Likewise.
* tests/rm/fail-eacces: Likewise.
* tests/rm/i-never: Likewise.
* tests/rm/inaccessible: Likewise.
* tests/rm/interactive-always: Likewise.
* tests/rm/interactive-once: Likewise.
* tests/rm/isatty: Likewise.
* tests/rm/one-file-system: Likewise.
* tests/rm/rm3: Likewise.
* tests/rm/rm5: Likewise.
* tests/rm/unread2: Likewise.
* tests/rm/v-slash: Likewise.
* tests/sample-test: Likewise.
* tests/split/b-chunk: Likewise.
* tests/split/fail: Likewise.
* tests/split/l-chunk: Likewise.
* tests/split/lines: Likewise.
* tests/split/r-chunk: Likewise.
* tests/split/suffix-length: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/big-4gb: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/follow-name: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/follow-stdin: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/pipe-f: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/pipe-f2: Likewise.
* tests/tail-2/start-middle: Likewise.
* tests/touch/60-seconds: Likewise.
* tests/touch/fail-diag: Likewise.
* tests/touch/not-owner: Likewise.
* tests/touch/relative: Likewise.

141 files changed, 219 insertions, 219 deletions

diff --git a/tests/chgrp/no-x b/tests/chgrp/no-x
index 2555c4532..9a2470be0 100755
--- a/tests/chgrp/no-x
+++ b/tests/chgrp/no-x
@@ -49,6 +49,6 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 $prog: \`d/no-x': Permission denied
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/chmod/no-x b/tests/chmod/no-x
index f45c4466e..534eec133 100755
--- a/tests/chmod/no-x
+++ b/tests/chmod/no-x
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 $prog: \`d/no-x': Permission denied
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 cd a
 # This will fail with ``chmod: fts_read failed: Permission denied''
diff --git a/tests/chmod/silent b/tests/chmod/silent
index 1745299de..e79c58f55 100755
--- a/tests/chmod/silent
+++ b/tests/chmod/silent
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@ chgrp -f 0   no-such 2>> out && fail=1
 chown -f 0:0 no-such 2>> out && fail=1
 touch exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/chmod/thru-dangling b/tests/chmod/thru-dangling
index 38187d002..d61b6bde5 100755
--- a/tests/chmod/thru-dangling
+++ b/tests/chmod/thru-dangling
@@ -26,6 +26,6 @@ ln -s non-existent dangle || framework_failure_
 chmod 644 dangle 2> out && fail=1
 
 echo "chmod: cannot operate on dangling symlink \`dangle'" > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/chown/basic b/tests/chown/basic
index 102f17c79..8df8399af 100755
--- a/tests/chown/basic
+++ b/tests/chown/basic
@@ -31,12 +31,12 @@ set _ `ls -n f`; shift; test "$3:$4" = 0:1 || fail=1
 # Note we output a name even though an id was specified.
 chown -v --from=42 43 f > out || fail=1
 printf "ownership of \`f' retained as `id -nu`\n" > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Ensure diagnostics work for non existent files.
 chown -v 0 nf > out && fail=1
 printf "failed to change ownership of \`nf' to 0\n" > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 chown --from=0:1 2:010 f || fail=1
 
diff --git a/tests/chown/deref b/tests/chown/deref
index c228bde80..02175ff70 100755
--- a/tests/chown/deref
+++ b/tests/chown/deref
@@ -33,6 +33,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 chown: cannot dereference `dangle'
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/chown/preserve-root b/tests/chown/preserve-root
index 072cc831a..3ee304914 100755
--- a/tests/chown/preserve-root
+++ b/tests/chown/preserve-root
@@ -61,6 +61,6 @@ chgrp: it is dangerous to operate recursively on `d/slink-to-root' (same as `/')
 chgrp: use --no-preserve-root to override this failsafe
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/cp/abuse b/tests/cp/abuse
index 43b7df0d9..1573ed5b0 100755
--- a/tests/cp/abuse
+++ b/tests/cp/abuse
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ for i in dangling-dest existing-dest; do
 
   cp -dR a/1 b/1 c 2> out && fail=1
 
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # When the destination is a dangling symlink,
   # ensure that cp does not create it.
diff --git a/tests/cp/backup-is-src b/tests/cp/backup-is-src
index bb6478940..9547c4e7e 100755
--- a/tests/cp/backup-is-src
+++ b/tests/cp/backup-is-src
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ cat > exp <<\EOF
 XXX: backing up `a' would destroy source;  `a~' not copied
 EOF
 
-compare out2 exp || fail=1
+compare exp out2 || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/cp/cp-a-selinux b/tests/cp/cp-a-selinux
index 0f9c14938..7ef24d801 100755
--- a/tests/cp/cp-a-selinux
+++ b/tests/cp/cp-a-selinux
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ cp --preserve=context f g 2> out && fail=1
 test -s g && fail=1
 sed "s/ .g' to .*//" out > k
 mv k out
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 rm -f g
 echo > g
@@ -110,6 +110,6 @@ cp -a --preserve=context f g 2> out2 && fail=1
 test -s g && fail=1
 sed "s/ .g' to .*//" out2 > k
 mv k out2
-compare out2 exp || fail=1
+compare exp out2 || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/cp/cp-mv-enotsup-xattr b/tests/cp/cp-mv-enotsup-xattr
index 32798d2fc..f30358136 100755
--- a/tests/cp/cp-mv-enotsup-xattr
+++ b/tests/cp/cp-mv-enotsup-xattr
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ cp: cannot preserve extended attributes, cp is built without xattr support
 EOF
 fi
 
-compare err exp     || fail=1
+compare exp err     || fail=1
 
 rm -f err noxattr/a
 
diff --git a/tests/cp/fail-perm b/tests/cp/fail-perm
index 404c83e39..d05189785 100755
--- a/tests/cp/fail-perm
+++ b/tests/cp/fail-perm
@@ -47,11 +47,11 @@ cp F symlink 2> out && fail=1
 #   ...: The file access permissions do not allow the specified action.
 # to the expected one:
 sed 's/: The file access permissions.*/: Permission denied/'<out>o1;mv o1 out
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 cp --target-directory=symlink F 2> out && fail=1
 sed 's/: The file access permissions.*/: Permission denied/'<out>o1;mv o1 out
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 chmod 700 D
 
diff --git a/tests/cp/into-self b/tests/cp/into-self
index deb5a5325..91c3a5a85 100755
--- a/tests/cp/into-self
+++ b/tests/cp/into-self
@@ -52,6 +52,6 @@ cp: cannot copy a directory, `dir', into itself, `dir/dir'
 EOF
 #'
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/cp/proc-zero-len b/tests/cp/proc-zero-len
index 53abc43f9..cc6fd0fbc 100755
--- a/tests/cp/proc-zero-len
+++ b/tests/cp/proc-zero-len
@@ -35,6 +35,6 @@ cp $f exp || fail=1
 test -s out && { rm -f out; echo nonempty > out; }
 test -s exp && { rm -f exp; echo nonempty > exp; }
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/cp/src-base-dot b/tests/cp/src-base-dot
index 069c1935c..4ec39a873 100755
--- a/tests/cp/src-base-dot
+++ b/tests/cp/src-base-dot
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ cp --verbose -ab ../x/. . > out 2>&1 || fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/cp/thru-dangling b/tests/cp/thru-dangling
index 62f111587..1c5c12d4c 100755
--- a/tests/cp/thru-dangling
+++ b/tests/cp/thru-dangling
@@ -29,13 +29,13 @@ echo "cp: not writing through dangling symlink \`dangle'" \
 # Starting with 6.9.90, this usage fails, by default:
 cp f dangle > err 2>&1 && fail=1
 
-compare err exp-err || fail=1
+compare exp-err err || fail=1
 test -f no-such && fail=1
 
 # But you can set POSIXLY_CORRECT to get the historical behavior.
 env POSIXLY_CORRECT=1 cp f dangle > out 2>&1 || fail=1
 cat no-such >> out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/dd/reblock b/tests/dd/reblock
index 558d729e1..59e61fa27 100755
--- a/tests/dd/reblock
+++ b/tests/dd/reblock
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ dd_reblock_1()
   (printf 'ab'; sleep $delay; printf 'cd') > dd.fifo
   wait #for dd to complete
   sed 's/,.*//' err > k && mv k err
-  compare err exp-reblock
+  compare exp-reblock err
 }
 
 retry_delay_ dd_reblock_1 .1 6 || fail=1
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ dd_reblock_2()
   (printf 'ab'; sleep $delay; printf 'cd') > dd.fifo
   wait #for dd to complete
   sed 's/,.*//' err > k && mv k err
-  compare err exp-no-reblock
+  compare exp-no-reblock err
 }
 
 retry_delay_ dd_reblock_2 .1 6 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/dd/unblock-sync b/tests/dd/unblock-sync
index a6fd4a52c..f9e01e041 100755
--- a/tests/dd/unblock-sync
+++ b/tests/dd/unblock-sync
@@ -30,6 +30,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 xx
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/2g b/tests/du/2g
index 280ba30f8..fe5876774 100755
--- a/tests/du/2g
+++ b/tests/du/2g
@@ -64,6 +64,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 ~2M
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/8gb b/tests/du/8gb
index ab283e42e..22d09af50 100755
--- a/tests/du/8gb
+++ b/tests/du/8gb
@@ -48,6 +48,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 8589934592	big
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/basic b/tests/du/basic
index 3cb3c0d99..db75ee927 100755
--- a/tests/du/basic
+++ b/tests/du/basic
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ $a	a       # size of dir entry, a
 $tot	a
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Perform this test only if "." is on a local file system.
 # Otherwise, it would fail e.g., on an NFS-mounted Solaris ZFS file system.
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ $s2	d/sub
 $d1	d           # d + d/1; don't count the dir. entry for d/sub
 EOF
 
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 fi
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/bigtime b/tests/du/bigtime
index b33b80126..dd69457c3 100755
--- a/tests/du/bigtime
+++ b/tests/du/bigtime
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ du --time future >out 2>err || fail=1
 # Map the number of blocks to 0.
 sed 's/^[0-9][0-9]*/0/' out > k && mv k out
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 compare err err_ok || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/deref-args b/tests/du/deref-args
index 474f7d06c..3c3e97425 100755
--- a/tests/du/deref-args
+++ b/tests/du/deref-args
@@ -43,6 +43,6 @@ slink/
 64	slink-to-64k
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/exclude b/tests/du/exclude
index 7403f5d04..87346fba5 100755
--- a/tests/du/exclude
+++ b/tests/du/exclude
@@ -53,6 +53,6 @@ a/x
 a/x/y
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/files0-from-dir b/tests/du/files0-from-dir
index fc1e1844c..1d996c152 100755
--- a/tests/du/files0-from-dir
+++ b/tests/du/files0-from-dir
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ for prog in du wc; do
   # The diagnostic string is usually "Is a directory" (ENOTDIR),
   # but accept a different string or errno value.
   sed 's/dir:.*/dir:/' err > k; mv k err
-  compare err exp || fail=1
+  compare exp err || fail=1
 done
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/hard-link b/tests/du/hard-link
index 71cbf51d9..4113898ec 100755
--- a/tests/du/hard-link
+++ b/tests/du/hard-link
@@ -59,6 +59,6 @@ dir/f_
 dir
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/inacc-dest b/tests/du/inacc-dest
index fac7e0ede..96231a013 100755
--- a/tests/du/inacc-dest
+++ b/tests/du/inacc-dest
@@ -51,6 +51,6 @@ EOF
 sed "s,/c/j': ,/c': ," out > t && mv t out
 sed 's,cannot access,cannot read directory,' out > t && mv t out
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/inacc-dir b/tests/du/inacc-dir
index c160fbbf5..638fc340a 100755
--- a/tests/du/inacc-dir
+++ b/tests/du/inacc-dir
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ chmod 0 a/sub || fail=1
 # Expect failure, ignore diagnostics.
 du -s a > out 2> /dev/null && fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Same as above, but don't use -s, so we print
 # an entry for the unreadable "sub", too.
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ chmod 0 a/sub || fail=1
 # Expect failure, ignore diagnostics.
 du -k a > out 2> /dev/null && fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/long-sloop b/tests/du/long-sloop
index 6c1d8d5de..09bd2c1c6 100755
--- a/tests/du/long-sloop
+++ b/tests/du/long-sloop
@@ -67,6 +67,6 @@ sed "s, .1/s/s/s/[/s]*',," out1 > out || fail=1
 
 echo "du: cannot access: $too_many" > exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/max-depth b/tests/du/max-depth
index 6edc73e6e..e165d3278 100755
--- a/tests/du/max-depth
+++ b/tests/du/max-depth
@@ -25,14 +25,14 @@ du --max-depth=2 a > out 2>err || fail=1
 
 # Remove the sizes.  They vary between file systems.
 cut -f2- out > k && mv k out
-compare out exp || fail=1
-compare err /dev/null || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
+compare /dev/null err || fail=1
 
 # Repeat, but use -d 1.
 printf 'a/b\na\n' > exp || framework_failure_
 du -d 1 a > out 2>err || fail=1
 cut -f2- out > k && mv k out
-compare out exp || fail=1
-compare err /dev/null || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
+compare /dev/null err || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/move-dir-while-traversing b/tests/du/move-dir-while-traversing
index d0969fecc..29a65d8d5 100755
--- a/tests/du/move-dir-while-traversing
+++ b/tests/du/move-dir-while-traversing
@@ -91,6 +91,6 @@ test $? = 1 || fail=1
 # check for the new diagnostic
 printf "du: fts_read failed: $t/3/a/b: No such file or directory\n" > exp \
   || fail=1
-compare err exp || fail=1
+compare exp err || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/no-deref b/tests/du/no-deref
index 09a1dcc41..731eb8ec5 100755
--- a/tests/du/no-deref
+++ b/tests/du/no-deref
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 slink
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/no-x b/tests/du/no-x
index e45f317e0..366818be9 100755
--- a/tests/du/no-x
+++ b/tests/du/no-x
@@ -44,6 +44,6 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 $prog: \`d/no-x': Permission denied
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/one-file-system b/tests/du/one-file-system
index 8a57c9934..7195838bd 100755
--- a/tests/du/one-file-system
+++ b/tests/du/one-file-system
@@ -35,6 +35,6 @@ y/z
 y
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/slash b/tests/du/slash
index c87dd3f3f..f796cc047 100755
--- a/tests/du/slash
+++ b/tests/du/slash
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 /
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/du/trailing-slash b/tests/du/trailing-slash
index 7c97ccec9..e22c9d628 100755
--- a/tests/du/trailing-slash
+++ b/tests/du/trailing-slash
@@ -42,6 +42,6 @@ slink/1
 slink
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/install/strip-program b/tests/install/strip-program
index 0f1e9fa22..ebd6a41e3 100755
--- a/tests/install/strip-program
+++ b/tests/install/strip-program
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ chmod a+x b || framework_failure_
 echo abc > src || fail=1
 echo aBc > exp || fail=1
 ginstall src dest -s --strip-program=./b || fail=1
-compare dest exp || fail=1
+compare exp dest || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ln/hard-backup b/tests/ln/hard-backup
index e6c9631b7..a67fdbe35 100755
--- a/tests/ln/hard-backup
+++ b/tests/ln/hard-backup
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 ln: `f' and `f' are the same file
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/block-size b/tests/ls/block-size
index 16ede04b7..9b920f10f 100755
--- a/tests/ls/block-size
+++ b/tests/ls/block-size
@@ -168,6 +168,6 @@ cat >exp <<'EOF'
 4 Jan  1  2001 file4096
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/color-clear-to-eol b/tests/ls/color-clear-to-eol
index 164b163c7..25dfe37bb 100755
--- a/tests/ls/color-clear-to-eol
+++ b/tests/ls/color-clear-to-eol
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@ echo >> out || fail=1
 
 sed 's/.*T //' out > k && mv k out
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/color-dtype-dir b/tests/ls/color-dtype-dir
index b677240db..3d1655c0c 100755
--- a/tests/ls/color-dtype-dir
+++ b/tests/ls/color-dtype-dir
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ out$
 ^[[37;44msticky^[[0m$
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 rm exp
 
@@ -59,6 +59,6 @@ out$
 ^[[37;44msticky^[[0m$
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/color-norm b/tests/ls/color-norm
index c8691034b..843c23824 100755
--- a/tests/ls/color-norm
+++ b/tests/ls/color-norm
@@ -79,6 +79,6 @@ norm nocolor$
 norm exe$
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/dangle b/tests/ls/dangle
index 35035febe..c85835f66 100755
--- a/tests/ls/dangle
+++ b/tests/ls/dangle
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ sub
 sub
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Ensure that ls -Li prints "?" as the inode of a dangling symlink.
 rm -f out
diff --git a/tests/ls/dired b/tests/ls/dired
index 18cd1eaa3..271892145 100755
--- a/tests/ls/dired
+++ b/tests/ls/dired
@@ -30,6 +30,6 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 //DIRED-OPTIONS// --quoting-style=literal
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/file-type b/tests/ls/file-type
index b72229045..a4924ede1 100755
--- a/tests/ls/file-type
+++ b/tests/ls/file-type
@@ -53,13 +53,13 @@ ls --indicator-style=file-type sub > out2 || fail=1
 sed 's/[@|]$//' exp2 > exp3
 ls -p sub > out3 || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
-compare out2 exp2 || fail=1
+compare exp2 out2 || fail=1
 
-compare out3 exp3 || fail=1
+compare exp3 out3 || fail=1
 
 ls --color=auto -F sub > out || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/follow-slink b/tests/ls/follow-slink
index cb4922b37..fba68b58f 100755
--- a/tests/ls/follow-slink
+++ b/tests/ls/follow-slink
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ link-to-dir/
 sub/link-to-dir:
 EOF
 
-compare out-L exp-L || fail=1
-compare out-FLR-sub exp-FLR-sub || fail=1
+compare exp-L out-L || fail=1
+compare exp-FLR-sub out-FLR-sub || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/infloop b/tests/ls/infloop
index 34d963311..78ee2008f 100755
--- a/tests/ls/infloop
+++ b/tests/ls/infloop
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ timeout 10 ls -RL loop >out 2>err
 # Ensure that ls exits with status 2 upon detecting a cycle
 test $? = 2 || fail=1
 
-compare err exp-err || fail=1
-compare out exp-out || fail=1
+compare exp-err err || fail=1
+compare exp-out out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/m-option b/tests/ls/m-option
index 2e6ec03d2..4ec2342aa 100755
--- a/tests/ls/m-option
+++ b/tests/ls/m-option
@@ -35,6 +35,6 @@ b
 0 a, 12 b
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/no-arg b/tests/ls/no-arg
index f61846b97..65aa55b57 100755
--- a/tests/ls/no-arg
+++ b/tests/ls/no-arg
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ EOF
 
 ls -1 > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 cat > exp <<\EOF
 .:
@@ -51,6 +51,6 @@ EOF
 
 ls -R1 > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/recursive b/tests/ls/recursive
index 677b5fdb2..3e0b2a0a7 100755
--- a/tests/ls/recursive
+++ b/tests/ls/recursive
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ b:
 c:
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 rm -rf out exp
 ls -R1 x y f > out || fail=1
@@ -57,6 +57,6 @@ x:
 y:
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/rt-1 b/tests/ls/rt-1
index 05d2a039f..00090643f 100755
--- a/tests/ls/rt-1
+++ b/tests/ls/rt-1
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ a
 b
 c
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 rm -rf out exp
 ls -1rt a b c > out || fail=1
@@ -41,6 +41,6 @@ c
 b
 a
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/stat-dtype b/tests/ls/stat-dtype
index 8ee94344f..9b47930f5 100755
--- a/tests/ls/stat-dtype
+++ b/tests/ls/stat-dtype
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 s@
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 rm -f out exp
 # Check for the ls -CF misaligned-columns bug:
@@ -56,6 +56,6 @@ ls -CF e > out || fail=1
 # rather than the appropriate TAB.
 printf 'a2345/\tb/\n' > exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/stat-failed b/tests/ls/stat-failed
index 5a22c7bf9..84ffa947d 100755
--- a/tests/ls/stat-failed
+++ b/tests/ls/stat-failed
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ total 0
 ?????????? ? ?            ? s
 EOF
 
-sed 's/^l/?/' out | compare - exp || fail=1
+sed 's/^l/?/' out | compare exp - || fail=1
 
 # Ensure that the offsets in --dired output are accurate.
 rm -f out exp
@@ -47,6 +47,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 //DIRED-OPTIONS// --quoting-style=literal
 EOF
 
-sed 's/^  l/  ?/' out | compare - exp || fail=1
+sed 's/^  l/  ?/' out | compare exp - || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/stat-free-symlinks b/tests/ls/stat-free-symlinks
index ab2011925..87304da4d 100755
--- a/tests/ls/stat-free-symlinks
+++ b/tests/ls/stat-free-symlinks
@@ -47,6 +47,6 @@ grep '^stat("x"' err && fail=1
   printf '\033[01;32mx\033[0m*\n'
 } > exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/ls/x-option b/tests/ls/x-option
index 7a451f54b..0730de5e5 100755
--- a/tests/ls/x-option
+++ b/tests/ls/x-option
@@ -32,6 +32,6 @@ a  b
 b  a
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/arch b/tests/misc/arch
index 194f7f359..df45e4a19 100755
--- a/tests/misc/arch
+++ b/tests/misc/arch
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@ require_built_ arch
 arch > out || fail=1
 uname -m > exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/cat-buf b/tests/misc/cat-buf
index 348b41450..4bb5419b8 100755
--- a/tests/misc/cat-buf
+++ b/tests/misc/cat-buf
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ cat_buf_1()
   dd count=1 if=fifo > out &
   (echo 1; sleep $delay; echo 2) | cat -v > fifo
   wait # for dd to complete
-  compare out exp
+  compare exp out
 }
 
 retry_delay_ cat_buf_1 .1 6 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/misc/cat-proc b/tests/misc/cat-proc
index 83c173513..2372980c3 100755
--- a/tests/misc/cat-proc
+++ b/tests/misc/cat-proc
@@ -33,6 +33,6 @@ test -f $f \
 cat -E $f | sed 's/[0-9][0-9]*/D/g' | tr -d '$' > out || fail=1
 cat    $f | sed 's/[0-9][0-9]*/D/g' | tr -d '$' > exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/chcon b/tests/misc/chcon
index 0f367ef89..70837af6c 100755
--- a/tests/misc/chcon
+++ b/tests/misc/chcon
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ f|-robject_r|root:object_r:file_t:$range
 f|-ttmp_t|root:object_r:tmp_t:$range
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 chcon --verbose -u$u1 f > out || fail=1
 echo 'changing security context of `f'\' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/csplit b/tests/misc/csplit
index 652690c5e..7536bbb39 100755
--- a/tests/misc/csplit
+++ b/tests/misc/csplit
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 0
 2
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp
 
 # Ensure that xx02 contains just two newlines.
 # This would fail due to reading from freed buffer with coreutils-5.0.91.
 printf '\n\n' > exp
 cp xx02 out || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp
 
 # csplit would infloop
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 0
 3
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp
 
 # `echo |csplit - 1 1' used to abort.
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 0
 1
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > experr
 csplit: warning: line number `1' is the same as preceding line number
 EOF
-compare err experr || fail=1
+compare experr err || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp err experr
 
 # `echo | csplit -b '%0#6.3x' - 1' incorrectly warned about the format
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 0
 1
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 touch experr
-compare err experr || fail=1
+compare experr err || fail=1
 compare 'xx   000' experr || fail=1
 compare 'xx 0x001' in || fail=1
 rm -f in out exp err experr xx*
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ csplit: line number `1' is smaller than preceding line number, 2
 csplit: warning: line number `3' is the same as preceding line number
 csplit: `3': line number out of range
 EOF
-compare err experr || fail=1
+compare experr err || fail=1
 
 # Ensure that lines longer than the initial buffer length don't cause
 # trouble (e.g. reading from freed memory, resulting in corrupt output).
diff --git a/tests/misc/df-P b/tests/misc/df-P
index c55c8c1d4..042abb5ec 100755
--- a/tests/misc/df-P
+++ b/tests/misc/df-P
@@ -32,6 +32,6 @@ BLOCK_SIZE=1M df -P . > t2 || fail=1
 head -n1 t1 > exp || fail=1
 head -n1 t2 > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/fmt-long-line b/tests/misc/fmt-long-line
index 4d424c095..cf1356bf8 100755
--- a/tests/misc/fmt-long-line
+++ b/tests/misc/fmt-long-line
@@ -56,6 +56,6 @@ EOF
 
 fmt -s in > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/groups-dash b/tests/misc/groups-dash
index 711d452e7..b6cf873bd 100755
--- a/tests/misc/groups-dash
+++ b/tests/misc/groups-dash
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ echo $? >> out
 groups -- none -- > exp 2>&1 && fail=1
 echo $? >> exp
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/groups-version b/tests/misc/groups-version
index f086a74e7..e1ca78ccd 100755
--- a/tests/misc/groups-version
+++ b/tests/misc/groups-version
@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@ require_built_ groups
 groups --version | sed 's/^groups/id/; /^$/q' > out || fail=1
 id --version | sed '/^$/q' > exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/head-pos b/tests/misc/head-pos
index 79e2a43e0..a8bfe2f86 100755
--- a/tests/misc/head-pos
+++ b/tests/misc/head-pos
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 b
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/nl b/tests/misc/nl
index 05270c8d7..4eef6f867 100755
--- a/tests/misc/nl
+++ b/tests/misc/nl
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
        $
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/od-N b/tests/misc/od-N
index 2aa210674..17c11aec5 100755
--- a/tests/misc/od-N
+++ b/tests/misc/od-N
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ cat <<EOF > exp || fail=1
    a   b   c
    d   e   f
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/od-multiple-t b/tests/misc/od-multiple-t
index 4f8698768..edcb5d9ae 100755
--- a/tests/misc/od-multiple-t
+++ b/tests/misc/od-multiple-t
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ for format1 in $list; do
   done
 done
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/od-x8 b/tests/misc/od-x8
index b66269faf..2cbe5c34e 100755
--- a/tests/misc/od-x8
+++ b/tests/misc/od-x8
@@ -38,6 +38,6 @@ od -An -t x1 in \
   | sort -n \
   > exp
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/printf b/tests/misc/printf
index b9092e17f..276541968 100755
--- a/tests/misc/printf
+++ b/tests/misc/printf
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 foo
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 rm -f out exp
 # Until coreutils-4.5.10, this would elicit a segfault.
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 11  x
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Verify handling of single quote chars (\' or \")
 
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ printf: ": expected a numeric value
 printf: a: expected a numeric value
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
-compare err exp_err || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
+compare exp_err err || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/printf-hex b/tests/misc/printf-hex
index 106490ece..000f7b17f 100755
--- a/tests/misc/printf-hex
+++ b/tests/misc/printf-hex
@@ -24,6 +24,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 ~3
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/pwd-option b/tests/misc/pwd-option
index 708401ff2..e51a0ae6e 100755
--- a/tests/misc/pwd-option
+++ b/tests/misc/pwd-option
@@ -57,6 +57,6 @@ printf %s\\n "$base/a/b" >> exp || fail=1
 env -- PWD="$base/a/../c" pwd -L >> out || fail=1
 printf %s\\n "$base/a/b" >> exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/readlink-fp-loop b/tests/misc/readlink-fp-loop
index 1c50d6a4f..58bfde100 100755
--- a/tests/misc/readlink-fp-loop
+++ b/tests/misc/readlink-fp-loop
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ ln -s ../s/2 d/1 || framework_failure_
 readlink -v -e p/1 > out || fail=1
 # readlink -e d/2 > exp || fail=1
 echo "$cwd/d/2" > exp || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Construct a real loop and make sure readlink still detects it.
 ln -sf ../s/1 d/2 || framework_failure_
@@ -57,12 +57,12 @@ ln -nsf ../p/8 d/7 || framework_failure_
 echo x > d/8       || framework_failure_
 readlink -v -e p/1 > out || fail=1
 echo "$cwd/d/8" > exp || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # A trivial loop
 ln -s loop loop
 readlink -v -e loop 2> out && fail=1
 echo "readlink: loop: $symlink_loop_msg" > exp || framework_failure_
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/runcon-no-reorder b/tests/misc/runcon-no-reorder
index 7a4825680..af99e1b50 100755
--- a/tests/misc/runcon-no-reorder
+++ b/tests/misc/runcon-no-reorder
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ case `cat out` in
   'runcon: invalid context: '*) echo "$diag" > out;;
 esac
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/seq-long-double b/tests/misc/seq-long-double
index 230912cbe..cdf06ace6 100755
--- a/tests/misc/seq-long-double
+++ b/tests/misc/seq-long-double
@@ -42,6 +42,6 @@ b=$INTMAX_OFLOW
 
 seq $a $b > out || fail=1
 printf "$a\n$b\n" > exp || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-NaN-infloop b/tests/misc/sort-NaN-infloop
index ead871e43..8075cbb7b 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-NaN-infloop
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-NaN-infloop
@@ -23,6 +23,6 @@ echo nan > F || fail=1
 printf 'nan\nnan\n' > exp || fail=1
 timeout 10 sort -g -m F F > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-benchmark-random b/tests/misc/sort-benchmark-random
index 6a61a1462..1baf58788 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-benchmark-random
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-benchmark-random
@@ -48,6 +48,6 @@ close (FILE);
 
 time sort in > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys b/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys
index b4c2fb74e..db3a91364 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-debug-keys
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ printf '\0\ta\n' | sort -s -k2b,2 --debug | tr -d '\0'
 printf 'A\tchr10\nB\tchr1\n' | sort -s -k2.4b,2.3n --debug
 ) > out
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 cat <<\EOF > exp
    1²---++3   1,234  Mi
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ if test "$LOCALE_FR_UTF8" != "none"; then
       sort --debug -k1,1n -k1,1g \
         -k1,1h -k2,2n -k2,2g -k2,2h -k3,3n -k3,3g -k3,3h
   ) > out
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 fi
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-float b/tests/misc/sort-float
index 850f57c15..aacd9b3be 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-float
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-float
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ $LDBL_MAX
 
   tac exp | LC_ALL=$LOC sort -sg > out || fail=1
 
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 done
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-merge-fdlimit b/tests/misc/sort-merge-fdlimit
index 2de14f4f7..add4bc3a4 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-merge-fdlimit
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-merge-fdlimit
@@ -68,6 +68,6 @@ echo 6 >out || fail=1
  ulimit -n 10 &&
  sort -n -m --batch-size=7 -o out out in/1 in/2 in/3 in/4 in/5 out
 ) &&
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/sort-unique-segv b/tests/misc/sort-unique-segv
index 6a40c379c..e8e9ecf74 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sort-unique-segv
+++ b/tests/misc/sort-unique-segv
@@ -43,6 +43,6 @@ EOF
 sort --parallel=1 -u in > exp || fail=1
 
 sort --parallel=2 -u -S 10b < in > out || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/stat-hyphen b/tests/misc/stat-hyphen
index 9a950ba64..c2addcd20 100755
--- a/tests/misc/stat-hyphen
+++ b/tests/misc/stat-hyphen
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@ touch f || framework_failure_
 stat --format=%n - < f > out || fail=1
 stat -f - < f && fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/stat-slash b/tests/misc/stat-slash
index c317855d6..92dcd47ea 100755
--- a/tests/misc/stat-slash
+++ b/tests/misc/stat-slash
@@ -39,6 +39,6 @@ stat --format=%F link2 >> out || fail=1
 stat -L --format=%F link2 >> out || fail=1
 stat --format=%F link2/ >> out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/stdbuf b/tests/misc/stdbuf
index ccf60b197..7a102d383 100755
--- a/tests/misc/stdbuf
+++ b/tests/misc/stdbuf
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ stdbuf_linebuffer()
   dd count=1 if=fifo > out 2> err &
   (printf '1\n'; sleep $delay; printf '2\n') | stdbuf -oL uniq > fifo
   wait # for dd to complete
-  compare out exp
+  compare exp out
 }
 
 retry_delay_ stdbuf_linebuffer .1 6 || fail=1
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ stdbuf_unbuffer()
   dd count=1 if=fifo > out 2> err &
   (printf '1\n'; sleep $delay; printf '2\n') | stdbuf -o0 uniq > fifo
   wait # for dd to complete
-  compare out exp
+  compare exp out
 }
 
 retry_delay_ stdbuf_unbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ retry_delay_ stdbuf_unbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
     # dd count=1 if=fifo > /dev/null 2> err &
     # printf '1\n\2\n3\n' | (stdbuf -i0 -oL uniq > fifo; cat) > out
     # wait # for dd to complete
-    # compare out exp || fail=1
+    # compare exp out || fail=1
 #  One could remove the need for dd (used to close the fifo to get uniq to quit
 #  early), if head -n1 read stdin char by char. Note uniq | head -c2 doesn't
 #  suffice due to the buffering implicit in the pipe.  sed currently does read
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ retry_delay_ stdbuf_unbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
 #  adding this dependency on a program outside of coreutils.
     # printf '2\n' > exp
     # printf '1\n2\n' | (stdbuf -i0 sed 1q >/dev/null; cat) > out
-    # compare out exp || fail=1
+    # compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Ensure block buffering stdout takes effect
 # We don't currently test block buffering failures as
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ retry_delay_ stdbuf_unbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
    #   dd count=1 if=fifo > out 2> err &
    #   (printf '1\n'; sleep $delay; printf '2\n') | stdbuf -o4 uniq > fifo
    #   wait # for dd to complete
-   #   compare out exp
+   #   compare exp out
    # }
    #
    # retry_delay_ stdbuf_blockbuffer .1 6 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/misc/sum-sysv b/tests/misc/sum-sysv
index f4d6a18ed..19b79ef0f 100755
--- a/tests/misc/sum-sysv
+++ b/tests/misc/sum-sysv
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ $PERL -e '$s = chr(255) x 65537; foreach (1..257) {print $s}' \
 cat > exp <<\EOF
 65535 32897
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 rm -f out exp
 
@@ -45,6 +45,6 @@ $PERL -e '$s = chr(255) x 65537; foreach (1..257) {print $s}; print chr(255)' \
 cat > exp <<\EOF
 254 32897
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/tac-2-nonseekable b/tests/misc/tac-2-nonseekable
index 7b4877367..8ff30dce9 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tac-2-nonseekable
+++ b/tests/misc/tac-2-nonseekable
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ print_ver_ tac
 
 echo x | tac - - > out 2> err || fail=1
 echo x > exp || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
-compare err /dev/null || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
+compare /dev/null err || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/tac-continue b/tests/misc/tac-continue
index 0040ac60a..be6325ce4 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tac-continue
+++ b/tests/misc/tac-continue
@@ -65,6 +65,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 1
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/tr-case-class b/tests/misc/tr-case-class
index 92f1a576c..680f25a11 100755
--- a/tests/misc/tr-case-class
+++ b/tests/misc/tr-case-class
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ print_ver_ tr
 echo '01234567899999999999999999' > exp
 echo 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz' |
 tr '[:lower:]' '0-9' > out || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 echo 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz' |
 tr '[:lower:][:lower:]' '[:upper:]0-9' > out || fail=1
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Validate the alignment of case classes
 tr 'A-Z[:lower:]' 'a-y[:upper:]' < /dev/null && fail=1
@@ -44,21 +44,21 @@ tr '[:upper:][:lower:]' '[:upper:]a-z' < /dev/null || fail=1
 tr '[:upper:] ' '[:lower:]' < /dev/null 2>out && fail=1
 echo 'tr: when translating with string1 longer than string2,
 the latter string must not end with a character class' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Up to coreutils-6.9, tr rejected an unmatched [:lower:] or [:upper:] in SET1.
 echo '#$%123abcABC' | tr '[:lower:]' '[.*]' > out || fail=1
 echo '#$%123...ABC' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 echo '#$%123abcABC' | tr '[:upper:]' '[.*]' > out || fail=1
 echo '#$%123abc...' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # When doing a case-converting translation with something after the
 # [:upper:] and [:lower:] elements, ensure that tr honors the following byte.
 echo 'abc.' | tr '[:lower:].' '[:upper:]x' > out || fail=1
 echo 'ABCx' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Before coreutils 8.6 the disparate number of upper and lower
 # characters in some locales, triggered abort()s and invalid behavior
@@ -73,41 +73,41 @@ if test "$(locale charmap 2>/dev/null)" = ISO-8859-1; then
   tr '[:upper:] ' '[:lower:]' < /dev/null 2>out && fail=1
   echo 'tr: when translating with string1 longer than string2,
 the latter string must not end with a character class' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # Ensure when there are a different number of elements
   # in each string, we validate the case mapping correctly
   echo 'abc.xyz' |
   tr 'ab[:lower:]' '0-1[:upper:]' > out || fail=1
   echo 'ABC.XYZ' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # Ensure we extend string2 appropriately
   echo 'ABC- XYZ' |
   tr '[:upper:]- ' '[:lower:]_' > out || fail=1
   echo 'abc__xyz' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # Ensure the size of the case classes are accounted
   # for as a unit.
   echo 'ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ' |
   tr '[:upper:]A-B' '[:lower:]0' >out || fail=1
   echo '00cdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # Ensure the size of the case classes are accounted
   # for as a unit.
   echo 'a' |
   tr -t '[:lower:]a' '[:upper:]0' >out || fail=1
   echo '0' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 
   # Ensure the size of the case classes are accounted
   # for as a unit.
   echo 'a' |
   tr -t '[:lower:][:lower:]a' '[:lower:][:upper:]0' >out || fail=1
   echo '0' > exp
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 fi
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/misc/truncate-fail-diag b/tests/misc/truncate-fail-diag
index cea79d464..50cb5f411 100755
--- a/tests/misc/truncate-fail-diag
+++ b/tests/misc/truncate-fail-diag
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ truncate -s0 $dir > out 2>&1 && fail=1
 cat <<EOF > exp
 truncate: cannot open \`$dir' for writing: No such file or directory
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 dir=$d1/
 truncate -s0 $dir > out 2>&1 && fail=1
diff --git a/tests/misc/wc-files0 b/tests/misc/wc-files0
index 49df3b4b0..0cc4b8417 100755
--- a/tests/misc/wc-files0
+++ b/tests/misc/wc-files0
@@ -31,13 +31,13 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
  2  3 10 total
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 if test "$fail" = ''; then
   # Repeat the above test, but read the file name list from stdin.
   rm -f out
   wc --files0-from=- < names > out || fail=1
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 fi
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mkdir/selinux b/tests/mkdir/selinux
index 20a463f3c..aa0e8820b 100755
--- a/tests/mkdir/selinux
+++ b/tests/mkdir/selinux
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ for cmd_w_arg in 'mkdir dir' 'mknod b p' 'mkfifo f'; do
     -e 's/ Unknown error .*$//'	\
     -e 's/ No such file or directory$//' out > k || fail=1
   mv k out || fail=1
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 done
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/backup-dir b/tests/mv/backup-dir
index 3026365dd..b54210bac 100755
--- a/tests/mv/backup-dir
+++ b/tests/mv/backup-dir
@@ -29,6 +29,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 `A' -> `B' (backup: `B.~1~')
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/backup-is-src b/tests/mv/backup-is-src
index ba05870ab..0d4a06d4c 100755
--- a/tests/mv/backup-is-src
+++ b/tests/mv/backup-is-src
@@ -41,6 +41,6 @@ cat > exp <<\EOF
 XXX: backing up `YYY' would destroy source;  `ZZZ' not moved
 EOF
 
-compare out2 exp || fail=1
+compare exp out2 || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/diag b/tests/mv/diag
index 2007ee063..21bb5e61f 100755
--- a/tests/mv/diag
+++ b/tests/mv/diag
@@ -43,6 +43,6 @@ mv: target `f1' is not a directory
 mv: target `f2' is not a directory
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/dir2dir b/tests/mv/dir2dir
index 452bb7de9..cf4ba0a90 100755
--- a/tests/mv/dir2dir
+++ b/tests/mv/dir2dir
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 mv: cannot move `b/t' to `a/t': Directory not empty
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/dup-source b/tests/mv/dup-source
index 0bbe36aed..5b91ba51e 100755
--- a/tests/mv/dup-source
+++ b/tests/mv/dup-source
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ $i: warning: source file \`a' specified more than once
 $i: warning: source file \`a' specified more than once
 $i: will not overwrite just-created \`d/a' with \`a'
 EOF
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 done
 
 for i in mv; do
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ for i in mv; do
 $i: cannot stat \`a': No such file or directory
 $i: cannot stat \`a': No such file or directory
 EOF
-  compare out exp || fail=1
+  compare exp out || fail=1
 done
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/force b/tests/mv/force
index 4aa754003..5ef6391d3 100755
--- a/tests/mv/force
+++ b/tests/mv/force
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ cat > exp <<EOF
 mv: \`$ff' and \`$ff' are the same file
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 test `cat $ff` = force-contents || fail=1
 
 # This should succeed, even though the source and destination
diff --git a/tests/mv/hard-verbose b/tests/mv/hard-verbose
index 95d959d57..b354447ee 100755
--- a/tests/mv/hard-verbose
+++ b/tests/mv/hard-verbose
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 removed `x'
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/i-link-no b/tests/mv/i-link-no
index 7858eb91b..94fc43db9 100755
--- a/tests/mv/i-link-no
+++ b/tests/mv/i-link-no
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@ mv a/bar a/foo b < no > out 2> err || fail=1
 touch exp
 touch exp_err
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
-compare err exp_err || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
+compare exp_err err || fail=1
 
 case "`cat b/foo`" in
   foo) ;;
diff --git a/tests/mv/into-self b/tests/mv/into-self
index a4df10a6b..16aa681d6 100755
--- a/tests/mv/into-self
+++ b/tests/mv/into-self
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ cat > exp <<\EOF
 XXX: cannot move `SRC' to a subdirectory of itself, `DEST'
 EOF
 
-compare out2 exp || fail=1
+compare exp out2 || fail=1
 
 # Make sure the file is gone.
 test -f $file && fail=1
diff --git a/tests/mv/into-self-2 b/tests/mv/into-self-2
index 28e212768..9cc6ef016 100755
--- a/tests/mv/into-self-2
+++ b/tests/mv/into-self-2
@@ -47,6 +47,6 @@ XXX: `ZZZ' and `YYY' are the same file
 EOF
 #'
 
-compare out2 exp || fail=1
+compare exp out2 || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/into-self-3 b/tests/mv/into-self-3
index 8d1eadb5f..c937ebad1 100755
--- a/tests/mv/into-self-3
+++ b/tests/mv/into-self-3
@@ -36,6 +36,6 @@ cat > exp <<\EOF
 XXX: cannot move `ZZZ' to a subdirectory of itself, `ZZZ/ZZZ'
 EOF
 
-compare out2 exp || fail=1
+compare exp out2 || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/mv-special-1 b/tests/mv/mv-special-1
index f43a70791..34a226999 100755
--- a/tests/mv/mv-special-1
+++ b/tests/mv/mv-special-1
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ cat <<EOF | sort > exp
 \`$dir/d/e/f/file2' -> \`XXX/$dir/d/e/f/file2'
 EOF
 
-compare out2 exp || fail=1
+compare exp out2 || fail=1
 
 # cd "$other_partition_tmpdir"
 # ls -l -A -R "$other_partition_tmpdir"
diff --git a/tests/mv/part-fail b/tests/mv/part-fail
index c653df823..acf291e9e 100755
--- a/tests/mv/part-fail
+++ b/tests/mv/part-fail
@@ -50,6 +50,6 @@ else
     fail=1
   fi
 fi
-test $fail = 1 && compare out exp
+test $fail = 1 && compare exp out
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/perm-1 b/tests/mv/perm-1
index cab0076f2..6b37e04f8 100755
--- a/tests/mv/perm-1
+++ b/tests/mv/perm-1
@@ -30,6 +30,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 mv: cannot move `no-write/dir' to `./dir': Permission denied
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/sticky-to-xpart b/tests/mv/sticky-to-xpart
index 3d61c3c27..a8b2e5952 100755
--- a/tests/mv/sticky-to-xpart
+++ b/tests/mv/sticky-to-xpart
@@ -62,6 +62,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 mv: cannot remove `t/root-owned': Operation not permitted
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/mv/trailing-slash b/tests/mv/trailing-slash
index 104cf594c..b00ce5ce9 100755
--- a/tests/mv/trailing-slash
+++ b/tests/mv/trailing-slash
@@ -60,6 +60,6 @@ cp b no-such/ 2> err && fail=1
 # Map "No such file..." diagnostic to the expected "Not a directory"
 sed 's/No such file or directory/Not a directory/' err > k && mv k err
 
-compare err expected-err || fail=1
+compare expected-err err || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/cycle b/tests/rm/cycle
index 30596fb69..4146a988f 100755
--- a/tests/rm/cycle
+++ b/tests/rm/cycle
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ rm: cannot remove `a/b/file'
 rm: cannot remove `a/b/file'
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/dir-no-w b/tests/rm/dir-no-w
index b4721ad4e..5f3f84058 100755
--- a/tests/rm/dir-no-w
+++ b/tests/rm/dir-no-w
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ EOF
 sed 's/remove directory/remove/' out-t > out
 rm -f out-t
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/dir-nonrecur b/tests/rm/dir-nonrecur
index 2e2f15237..6fdb884f8 100755
--- a/tests/rm/dir-nonrecur
+++ b/tests/rm/dir-nonrecur
@@ -29,6 +29,6 @@ rm: cannot remove `d': Is a directory
 EOF
 
 # Before coreutils-5.93 this test would fail on Solaris 9 and newer.
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/fail-2eperm b/tests/rm/fail-2eperm
index cd294c5bc..b9cdb57fd 100755
--- a/tests/rm/fail-2eperm
+++ b/tests/rm/fail-2eperm
@@ -50,6 +50,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 rm: cannot remove `a/b': Operation not permitted
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/fail-eacces b/tests/rm/fail-eacces
index 8e9b5b07e..89e6357ba 100755
--- a/tests/rm/fail-eacces
+++ b/tests/rm/fail-eacces
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ rm -rf d/f 2> out && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
 rm: cannot remove `d/f': Permission denied
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # This used to fail with ELOOP.
 rm -rf e 2> out && fail=1
 cat <<\EOF > exp
 rm: cannot remove `e/slink': Permission denied
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/i-never b/tests/rm/i-never
index 5ffde73c7..7179bdbd1 100755
--- a/tests/rm/i-never
+++ b/tests/rm/i-never
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ touch exp || framework_failure_
 
 rm --interactive=never f > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/inaccessible b/tests/rm/inaccessible
index e87ab793d..b0e087c2e 100755
--- a/tests/rm/inaccessible
+++ b/tests/rm/inaccessible
@@ -44,6 +44,6 @@ EOF
 # to the expected one:
 sed 's/: The file access permissions.*/: Permission denied/'<out>o1;mv o1 out
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/interactive-always b/tests/rm/interactive-always
index 032c645ed..70bf03a11 100755
--- a/tests/rm/interactive-always
+++ b/tests/rm/interactive-always
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ WHEN=always
 rm: remove all arguments recursively? .
 EOF
 
-compare out expout || fail=1
-compare err experr || fail=1
+compare expout out || fail=1
+compare experr err || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/interactive-once b/tests/rm/interactive-once
index fc1c76dd7..f2f946bdc 100755
--- a/tests/rm/interactive-once
+++ b/tests/rm/interactive-once
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ multiple files, recursion, answer yes
 rm: remove all arguments recursively? .
 EOF
 
-compare out expout || fail=1
-compare err experr || fail=1
+compare expout out || fail=1
+compare experr err || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/isatty b/tests/rm/isatty
index 1118b9465..15e395f11 100755
--- a/tests/rm/isatty
+++ b/tests/rm/isatty
@@ -49,6 +49,6 @@ EOF
 # Append an `x' and a newline.
 echo x >> out
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/one-file-system b/tests/rm/one-file-system
index 064d27c2b..93c1f7ff6 100755
--- a/tests/rm/one-file-system
+++ b/tests/rm/one-file-system
@@ -43,6 +43,6 @@ EOF
 rm --one-file-system -rf a 2> out && fail=1
 test -d $t/y || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/rm1 b/tests/rm/rm1
index f4f43d042..3de093b4a 100755
--- a/tests/rm/rm1
+++ b/tests/rm/rm1
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ EOF
 cmp out exp > /dev/null 2>&1 || {
   cmp out exp2 || fail=1
   }
-test $fail = 1 && compare out exp
+test $fail = 1 && compare exp out
 
 test -d b/a/p || fail=1
 test -d b/c && fail=1
diff --git a/tests/rm/rm2 b/tests/rm/rm2
index 6df1e2090..e3fd0c911 100755
--- a/tests/rm/rm2
+++ b/tests/rm/rm2
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ EOF
 
 cmp out exp > /dev/null 2>&1 \
     || { cmp out exp-solaris > /dev/null 2>&1 || fail=1; }
-test $fail = 1 && compare out exp
+test $fail = 1 && compare exp out
 
 test -d a/0 && fail=1
 test -d a/1 || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/rm/rm3 b/tests/rm/rm3
index 56aea8c1e..b2f3b0e91 100755
--- a/tests/rm/rm3
+++ b/tests/rm/rm3
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ rm: remove write-protected directory \`z/du'
 rm: remove directory \`z'
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 test -d z && fail=1
 
diff --git a/tests/rm/rm5 b/tests/rm/rm5
index 5c33bf729..2dfaf73ec 100755
--- a/tests/rm/rm5
+++ b/tests/rm/rm5
@@ -47,6 +47,6 @@ mv o2 out
 # Make sure it's been removed.
 test -d d && fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/unread2 b/tests/rm/unread2
index ae3365f25..a26ad0393 100755
--- a/tests/rm/unread2
+++ b/tests/rm/unread2
@@ -30,6 +30,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 rm: cannot remove `a': Permission denied
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/rm/v-slash b/tests/rm/v-slash
index 6620742ec..d257b4d3e 100755
--- a/tests/rm/v-slash
+++ b/tests/rm/v-slash
@@ -29,6 +29,6 @@ removed `a/x'
 removed directory: `a'
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/sample-test b/tests/sample-test
index 1a4c24160..35dea0eec 100644
--- a/tests/sample-test
+++ b/tests/sample-test
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 FIXME
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/split/b-chunk b/tests/split/b-chunk
index 3191620aa..5e7f82d5d 100755
--- a/tests/split/b-chunk
+++ b/tests/split/b-chunk
@@ -39,12 +39,12 @@ printf '1\n2' > exp-1
 printf '\n3\n' > exp-2
 printf '4\n5\n' > exp-3
 
-compare xaa exp-1 || fail=1
-compare xab exp-2 || fail=1
-compare xac exp-3 || fail=1
-compare b1 exp-1 || fail=1
-compare b2 exp-2 || fail=1
-compare b3 exp-3 || fail=1
+compare exp-1 xaa || fail=1
+compare exp-2 xab || fail=1
+compare exp-3 xac || fail=1
+compare exp-1 b1 || fail=1
+compare exp-2 b2 || fail=1
+compare exp-3 b3 || fail=1
 test -f xad && fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/split/fail b/tests/split/fail
index 039f457a3..79f62f81e 100755
--- a/tests/split/fail
+++ b/tests/split/fail
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ mv -f out-t out
 cat <<\EOF > exp
 split: line count option -99*... is too large
 EOF
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Make sure split fails when it can't read input
 # (the current directory in this case)
diff --git a/tests/split/l-chunk b/tests/split/l-chunk
index e1c9ec7d8..8dbbece51 100755
--- a/tests/split/l-chunk
+++ b/tests/split/l-chunk
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@ print_ver_ split
 # invalid number of chunks
 echo 'split: 1o: invalid number of chunks' > exp
 split -n l/1o 2>err && fail=1
-compare err exp || fail=1
+compare exp err || fail=1
 
 echo "split: \`-': cannot determine file size" > exp
 echo | split -n l/1 2>err && fail=1
-compare err exp || fail=1
+compare exp err || fail=1
 
 # N can be greater than the file size
 # in which case no data is extracted, or empty files are written
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ printf "%s" "$lines" | tr '~' '\n' > in || framework_failure_
 
 echo 'split: 16: invalid chunk number' > exp
 split -n l/16/15 in 2>err && fail=1
-compare err exp || fail=1
+compare exp err || fail=1
 
 printf '%s' "\
 14 16 09 15 16 10
@@ -119,20 +119,20 @@ test "$DEBUGGING" && test "$VERBOSE" && set -x
 : > out
 printf '1\n12345\n' > exp
 split -n l/13/15 in > out
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 : > out
 printf '' > exp
 split -n l/14/15 in > out
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 : > out
 printf '1\n12345\n1\n' > exp
 split -n l/15/15 in > out
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # test input with no \n at end
 printf '12\n34\n5' > in
 printf '5' > exp
 split -n l/7/7 in > out
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/split/lines b/tests/split/lines
index 1612c2e23..3269449d0 100755
--- a/tests/split/lines
+++ b/tests/split/lines
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp-3
 5
 EOF
 
-compare xaa exp-1 || fail=1
-compare xab exp-2 || fail=1
-compare xac exp-3 || fail=1
+compare exp-1 xaa || fail=1
+compare exp-2 xab || fail=1
+compare exp-3 xac || fail=1
 test -f xad && fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/split/r-chunk b/tests/split/r-chunk
index ea2ac9f20..821b297fd 100755
--- a/tests/split/r-chunk
+++ b/tests/split/r-chunk
@@ -44,18 +44,18 @@ printf '1\n4\n' > exp-1
 printf '2\n5\n' > exp-2
 printf '3\n' > exp-3
 
-compare xaa exp-1 || fail=1
-compare xab exp-2 || fail=1
-compare xac exp-3 || fail=1
-compare r1 exp-1 || fail=1
-compare r2 exp-2 || fail=1
-compare r3 exp-3 || fail=1
+compare exp-1 xaa || fail=1
+compare exp-2 xab || fail=1
+compare exp-3 xac || fail=1
+compare exp-1 r1 || fail=1
+compare exp-2 r2 || fail=1
+compare exp-3 r3 || fail=1
 test -f xad && fail=1
 
 # Test input without trailing \n
 printf '1\n2\n3\n4\n5' | split -n r/2/3 > out
 printf '2\n5' > exp
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Ensure we fall back to appending to a file at a time
 # if we hit the limit for the number of open files.
diff --git a/tests/split/suffix-length b/tests/split/suffix-length
index efb0d8166..da5b7fde3 100755
--- a/tests/split/suffix-length
+++ b/tests/split/suffix-length
@@ -45,11 +45,11 @@ test -f xz || fail=1
 test -f xaa && fail=1
 test -f xaz && fail=1
 rm -f x*
-compare err exp-too-short || fail=1
+compare exp-too-short err || fail=1
 
 # With a longer suffix, it must succeed.
 split --verbose -b 1 -a 2 in > err || fail=1
-compare err exp || fail=1
+compare exp err || fail=1
 
 # Ensure that xbb is *not* created.
 test -f xbb && fail=1
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/big-4gb b/tests/tail-2/big-4gb
index 874081168..ecd73c09b 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/big-4gb
+++ b/tests/tail-2/big-4gb
@@ -45,6 +45,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp
 1
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/follow-name b/tests/tail-2/follow-name
index e34b77964..15aff279c 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/follow-name
+++ b/tests/tail-2/follow-name
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ test $? = 1 || fail=1
 # we can compare against the above error
 sed '/inotify cannot be used/d' err > k && mv k err
 
-compare err exp || fail=1
+compare exp err || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/follow-stdin b/tests/tail-2/follow-stdin
index 51520ab67..66fb26c3d 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/follow-stdin
+++ b/tests/tail-2/follow-stdin
@@ -31,6 +31,6 @@ test $? = 124 || fail=1
 test -s err && fail=1
 
 # Ensure there was
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/pipe-f b/tests/tail-2/pipe-f
index db092e758..3552f1089 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/pipe-f
+++ b/tests/tail-2/pipe-f
@@ -22,6 +22,6 @@ print_ver_ tail
 echo foo | timeout 10 tail -f -c3 > out || fail=1
 echo oo > exp || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/pipe-f2 b/tests/tail-2/pipe-f2
index 3421798b4..727b30676 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/pipe-f2
+++ b/tests/tail-2/pipe-f2
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ check_tail_output()
 # Wait 6.3s for tail to write something.
 retry_delay_ check_tail_output .1 7 || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 # Kill the still-running tail, or fail if it's gone.
 kill $pid || fail=1
diff --git a/tests/tail-2/start-middle b/tests/tail-2/start-middle
index 3dcbacbf9..6658ca201 100755
--- a/tests/tail-2/start-middle
+++ b/tests/tail-2/start-middle
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 2
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/touch/60-seconds b/tests/touch/60-seconds
index 578aedc53..62b7ebff1 100755
--- a/tests/touch/60-seconds
+++ b/tests/touch/60-seconds
@@ -28,6 +28,6 @@ TZ=UTC0 touch -t 197001010000.60 f || fail=1
 
 stat --p='%.9Y\n' f > out || fail=1
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/touch/fail-diag b/tests/touch/fail-diag
index a2613fe23..fbd0cd112 100755
--- a/tests/touch/fail-diag
+++ b/tests/touch/fail-diag
@@ -27,6 +27,6 @@ cat <<EOF > exp
 touch: cannot touch \`$file': No such file or directory
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/touch/not-owner b/tests/touch/not-owner
index 98dd4e348..c8b567c63 100755
--- a/tests/touch/not-owner
+++ b/tests/touch/not-owner
@@ -50,6 +50,6 @@ EOF
 done
 test "$match" = 1 || fail=1
 
-test $fail = 1 && compare out exp
+test $fail = 1 && compare exp out
 
 Exit $fail
diff --git a/tests/touch/relative b/tests/touch/relative
index a530eaa67..7e8249619 100755
--- a/tests/touch/relative
+++ b/tests/touch/relative
@@ -33,6 +33,6 @@ cat <<\EOF > exp || fail=1
 2004-01-11
 EOF
 
-compare out exp || fail=1
+compare exp out || fail=1
 
 Exit $fail