Boot ROM. Most modern home computers use a type of FLASH EPROM for this to allow patches to fix bugs.
It's not safer, but it is more convenient.
The transistor is a "single direction current flow" device. Typically, for an NPN device, the collector must be more positive than the emitter for the device to bias on. You could use the transistor in an AC circult, but it would only conduct on half the cycle.
it doesn't, in a parallel circult the volage stays the same therefore the brightness will stay the same
The voltmeter has an internal resistance, which should be as high as possible. As this resistance draws current from the circuit under test, it will affect circuit operation. This is more pronounced in a high impedance circuit because the current drawn flows through higher resistances.