ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Soft error

A soft error is like when you are playing with your toy building blocks and accidentally knock them down. It's still very easy to put them back together again and continue playing.

In the world of computers, electronic devices like memory chips might sometimes have a similar "knockdown" event. This is because they are made of millions of tiny, microscopic components that can be affected by things like cosmic rays, electromagnetic waves, and electrical noise, which can cause errors or disruptions in the memory.

Soft errors are usually temporary and do not cause permanent damage. They can be fixed by simply resetting the device or reloading the data. However, if a soft error happens at a critical time when important information is being processed, it can cause serious problems.

To prevent these errors, manufacturers employ various measures like shielding, redundancy, and error-correcting codes. This helps to make sure that the electronic devices are less prone to errors and work more reliably.
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