Robots

I finally got the first three movies (Episodse IV-VI, to be clear (and isn't that a pain in the tuckus)) in the Star Wars DVD collection this weekend. Got up to the third movie (Return of the Jedi) and have a question for those who know more about robots or droids than I do. Is taking hot metal and pressing it against a droids feet really more effective than, say, simply reprogramming the robot?