Which way does the seat clamp go on the post? I have one of the older style seat clamps, the one with the bolt all the way through it with two male ends that tighten on either side. I'm not sure if the bolt side goes to the front of the post or the back of the post, or if it makes a difference. I have it to the front right now because it makes the seat closer to the bars and shortens the cockpit nicely, but looking at my friends bike, it seems like it may go the other way, and I don't want to bend or break anything. 

Which way is the seat clamp supposed to go, to the front or the back? Does it make a difference?

Here is a picture of the clamp:
If you align the gap of the clamp to sit over the gap of the seat post, you'll need much less clamping force to keep the seat from sliding down into the seat tube. There are likely some riders who place the clamp in a position they like strictly for the aesthetics, while others go for functionality. From what I remember, the position is determined by how much force you intend to apply to keep the seat from moving left, right, or down.