"A hex editor (or binary file editor or byte editor) is a type of computer program that allows a user to manipulate binary (normally non-plain text) computer files. Hex editors that were designed to edit sector data from floppy or hard disks were sometimes called sector editors or disk editors."
Wikipedia further describes its usage by saying that by "...using a hex editor, a user can see or edit the raw and exact contents of a file as opposed to the interpretation of the same content that other, higher level application software may associate with the file format. For example, this could be raw image data, in contrast to the way image editing software would interpret the same file."
So, what editors to BBR members use? According to the 2008 poll an over whelming number of those that voted, 29.1% do not use a hex editor at all. Of those members that did find the need for one, the top choice with 15.7% of the vote was HexEdit closely followed by UltraEdit with 14.9%.
Here is a complete list of editors included in this year's poll:
