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From: mcovingt@athena.cs.uga.edu ( Michael A. Covington)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: incandescent light bulb life extender
Keywords: lamp life, economics
Message-ID: <1990Dec13.204415.22627@athena.cs.uga.edu>
Date: 13 Dec 90 20:44:15 GMT
References: <6213@videovax.tv.tek.com> <4078@osc.COM> <1990Dec13.172348.20146@amd.com>
Organization: University of Georgia, Athens
Lines: 19

In article <1990Dec13.172348.20146@amd.com> phil@brahms.amd.com (Phil Ngai) writes:
>If you're concerned about bulb life, use a compact fluorescent. Most
>of them are rated around 10K hours. If you're concerned about cost,
>use a C.F. Over the life of the bulb it will pay itself back many
>times. I can not see any reason to use incandescents anymore, unless
>you are getting free power.
>
>--

I can. I'm an amateur astronomer and I have to be away from fluorescent
lights for several hours before doing any observing that requires really
good night vision. The high UV output of fluorescents tends to kill
night vision. On the other hand, it might be good for people who feel
despondent due to the lack of sunlight in winter.

I also keep reptiles (lizards) as pets and they *thrive* on fluorescent
lights. Lizards are accustomed to a tremendous amount of sunlight and
they use it to synthesize their own vitamin D (not quite the same as the
vitamin D in mammals). Without sunlight or fluorescent lights, they die.