[ROLF of the HILL COUNTRY]

“The other is in a room where the light is hardly ever turned on. At that rate, it'll last for generations. ;)”

Actually, that one might be the first one to blow. Fluorescent bulbs need to be kept on for awhile, both to maximize their lumen output, and to realize the energy savings. They generally last longer when turned on and kept on for extended periods; HOWEVER, if they are turned on and off as frequently as people generally use their incandescents—they burn out much SOONER!
(And then we have our landfills filling up with mercury!) Way to go, Congress! You dipsh*ts!

[HoneysuckleTN]

“The other is in a room where the light is hardly ever turned on. At that rate, it'll last for generations. ;)”

Actually, that one might be the first one to blow. Fluorescent bulbs need to be kept on for awhile, both to maximize their lumen output, and to realize the energy savings. They generally last longer when turned on and kept on for extended periods; HOWEVER, if they are turned on and off as frequently as people generally use their incandescents—they burn out much SOONER!

Ah, good to know. It's in a storage room. I haven't had the need to turn the light on in a couple of years. So, chances are, if I did turn it on now, it wouldn't work. Great.

There are ceiling fans in every ceiling light fixture in the house, even the porch and the storage room, so they are 60 watt (the highest recommended for ceiling fans). The one in the dining room is 3 or 4 years old and kept mostly off. But I switch it on and off a dozen times or more during the evening and night every day. Sometimes, it does get left on for hours at a time or even overnight. Even after being left on for hours it's still not as bright as an incandescent 60 watt bulb--now 52 watt, or whatever they are. And the light is...off, like it's a different color. Hard to describe.