Supposedly they save energy for the amount of light that they produce. Is that the sole reason why people buy CFL bulbs? On the other hand:

What happens to them during power failure brown outs? Are they really more attractive than incandescents? Are they less expensive to dim with continuous dimmer controls or switches with resistors? Are they cleaner to dispose of than ordinary incandescent bulbs?

I'm a bit confused. Forum, please advise and discuss. TIA.