[lawman]

yes. poking reset discharges the pathways actively. That's the layman's answer.

 

[lawman]

neither affects the firmware. so the short answer is no. Electronics however have millions of little few atom thick conductive pathways in the transistors, etc, and a stray electron can get stuck, for lack of a better way of putting it. Turning it off may not clear the stuck electron. hitting reset should. That's the simplest way of putting it.

 

[lawman]

no. Firmware - FIRM. It has to be flashed out.