Editing Service pack (section)

{{Short description|Single installable package of software updates}}
[[File:This_is_the_Windows_XP_SP2_French_CD._Microsoft_is_the_owner_of_the_operating_system_by_law.jpg|thumb|Windows XP SP2 installation disc.]]
In computing, a '''service pack''' comprises a collection of updates, fixes, or enhancements to a [[computer program|software program]] delivered in the form of a single installable package. Companies often release a service pack when the number of individual [[patch (computing)|patches]] to a given program reaches a certain (arbitrary) limit, or the software release has shown to be stabilized with a limited number of remaining issues based on users' feedback and [[bug tracking system|bug reports]]. In large software applications such as office suites, operating systems, database software, or network management, it is not uncommon to have a service pack issued within the first year or two of a product's release. Installing a service pack is easier and less error-prone than installing many individual patches, even more so when updating multiple computers over a network, where service packs are common. 

Service packs are usually numbered, and thus shortly referred to as SP1, SP2, SP3 etc.<ref>One counterexample is [http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=90DCD52C-0488-4E46-AFBF-ACACE5369FA3, Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Service Pack 3a]
</ref> They may also bring, besides [[Software bug|bug]] fixes,<ref>Example of Service Pack list of changes for a multi-module/multi-mode software product: [http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php5/TS2009_SP2 Trainz SP2 involved feature changes and bug fixes]</ref> entirely new features, as is the case of [[Windows XP#Service Pack 2|SP2]] of [[Windows&nbsp;XP]] (e.g. [[Security_and_Maintenance#Windows_XP_SP2|Windows Security Center]]), or SP3 and SP4 of the heavily database dependent ''[[Trainz#Trainz Simulator 2009: World Builder Edition|Trainz 2009: World Builder Edition]]''.<ref>[http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php5/%22Trainz-build%22_tag Trainz Railway Simulators Service Packs Table] versus major release version titles</ref>