Anodically dissolving semiconductor electrodes show a wealth of pattern formation phenomena in time and space. This paper reviews these phenomena and attempts a general explanation in terms of the so-called current burst model. The current burst model asserts that current flow through anodically dissolving semiconductor electrodes is localized in space and time. The only relevant parameters of the model are probability functions for current "on" and "off". It will be shown that interactions between current bursts in space and time account quantitatively, or at least qualitatively, for a wealth of the pattern formation phenomena observed on semiconductor electrodes that can be classified as oscillations in time and space (= pore formation). (C) 2011 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3563752] All rights reserved.