My big problem with compact flourescent bulbs

THEY ARE TOO DARNED BIG.

I went to replace the bulb for the light outside my front door.  I would have loved to put a compact flourescent into that socket, but, oooops, it just isn't possible as the housing for the bulb there won't take a bulb much bigger than a standard 40/60/75 watt regular bulb.

Though compact flourescents are better than they used to be, they are still too big for many places I could use them.  In my house, with standard globes and coverings compact flourescents are typically about a half inch, or more, too big to fit in socket and then fit within the globe that covers the socket and bulb.

I've been hearing for a while now that the sizes are getting better, but the bulbs that are on the store shelves near me remain just as big as before.  I've also been hearing that the bulbs will soon work, or already do work, in places where there is a dimmer switch.  Really?  As I haven't seen those either.

I really don't care a whit about using these bulbs to help the enviornment (actually, given the materials that are in the bulbs, when they break and/or no longer work and have to be disposed of, it is debatable whether they really are better for the environment long term), but I do care about bottom line cost savings.  If the bulbs last longer, cost less to use while they are in use, and fit the spaces where I want to use them, then I'm game.  I would like to be able to use them with a dimmer so I don't have to burn 'em at full brightness and/or switch back to just an on/off light switch where I current have dimmer switches installed, but I guess that is asking for just a bit too much.