If I remember correctly, there was also an issue with the orientation of the ballast - some CFLs expected heat to rise in a certain direction, and if you instal

If I remember correctly, there was also an issue with the orientation of the ballast - some CFLs expected heat to rise in a certain direction, and if you installed them upside down (in a ceiling fixture, for example), they would overheat and die. I remember being very disappointed with CFLs and abandoning them quickly.