Reply #35: That link showed that they do not put out the same Lumens nor the same light color as claimed

[txlibdem]

Another down side to CFLs = you can't turn them on and off: http://news.consumerreports.org/home/2007/10/cfl-lifespan.html
"Turning CFLs on and off frequently shortens their life, so our testers, curious as they are, are now running nonstop cycles during which each CFL is on for 5 minutes and then off for the same amount of time. The purpose of the test is to see if any differences in life span exist among CFL brands and to compare the longevity of the different CFLs to that of incandescent bulbs.

(One way to help your CFLs last as long as possible is to install them in fixtures that are typically on for more than 15 minutes at a time or several hours throughout the day, according to the people who run the federal government’s Energy Star program.)"
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The comments at the bottom of this page seem to parallel our two different experiences with CFL, some people say they last 5 years or more and others say that their CFLs burn out in days or months: http://consumerist.com/2011/01/do-compact-flourescent-bulbs-really-last-10-years.html

PS, it also says that CFLs may not last as long as the manufacturers claim (10,000 hours) but may last only 6,000 hours.