I use CFLs exclusively (sitting under one right now), but the CFL side repeatedly lies about how long CFLs last. In my experience using CFLs in two different residences (condo and house) over 15 years, CFLs last no longer than incandescent bulbs - they're good for about a year, tops.
And I've used every brand out there - they all die pretty quickly. So quickly, in fact, that I'm not sure that the carbon lifecycle is significantly different between the two types. Sure, CFLs use less energy to light up a room, but they're pretty complex to manufacture and have a lot of embedded energy within them. Plus, you have to recycle them afterward.
Incandescents, on the other hand, are pretty simple - a little glass, a filament and some brass. The embedded energy is probably mostly in making the tungsten filament. Recycling is optional (lots of inert material) but pretty straighforward (only three main bits).
I try to convince myself that the CFLs are still a good thing, but I'm probably deluding myself.
Can't wait to delude myself about LEDs...