Does a definitive list of design patterns exist?

design-patterns

Solution

I think there's a basic "life cycle of a design pattern"

- Author writes about design pattern in a book.

- Book becomes well read, possibly best seller

- Design pattern enters public conscious, gains mindshare.

- Design pattern gets used. It works well. design pattern gets more mindshare

- Design pattern becomes panacea, gets over-used.

- Different Author writes "Design Pattern Considered Harmful"

- Design pattern becomes Anti Pattern

- Different Author becomes famous, writes book full of new design patterns...

Problem

Where did the idea of design patterns come from, who decided what is and isn't a pattern and gave them their names? Is there an official organisation that defines them, or do they exist through some community consensus?

Original source