List passed by ref – help me explain this behaviour

Initially, it can be represented graphically as follow:

Then, the sort is applied myList.Sort();

Finally, when you did: myList' = myList2, you lost the one of the reference but not the original and the collection stayed sorted.

If you use by reference (ref) then myList' and myList will become the same (only one reference).

Note: I use myList' to represent the parameter that you use in ChangeList (because you gave the same name as the original)