Letters to the Editor
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The evolution of fluorescent bulbs
This is clearly an evolving technology, meaning we should use it where we can, and wait for improvements where we can't, but there's no way we're replacing every incandescent bulb with fluorescent ones. We've put many where we could. However, they interfere significantly with wireless systems and monitors, including some television screens, some cordless phones, and definitely our computers, meaning that one of our most-used rooms (our home office) has to be virtually fluorescent-free.
Additionally, while the color of fluorescents has indeed improved, the flicker is a real effect for me, and indeed for some inexplicable reason they trigger repeated yawns and headaches in me when in a room without any other kind of light (e.g., offices with no windows). A blend of light can prevent this effect while still improving over incandescent bulbs alone.
Finally, in my experience the duration varies widely, and inexplicably shorter than incandescent bulbs in some cases -- we've used them in our living room for years, and I've had to replace many.
I look forward to improved fluorescent bulbs -- they've gotten smaller, lighter, cheaper, and started shedding better light just in the last few years. But they're not filling every socket in our house yet, nor do I expect them to for some time to come. If LEDs improve quickly enough, we'll jump straight to those, since they use still less power for brighter light.