We have had 12 of our light fixtures fitted with compact fluorescent bulbs. The oldest is three years, the newest about six months. Most are about two years old from when the local hardware store had a sale. I've had to replace two, neither of them the oldest. One died within weeks of installing, the other after about a year, and it was one that is on and off a lot.

I like them. I prefer the ones with a slight yellow cast, rather than the very white ones, but use the white where I have a need to be precise about colour (studio).

My kitchen, which provides some of the lighting for the living room, is where I most appreciate their long life. I was replacing incandescents there every month or two, in fixtures that were a pain to get at. Problem solved.