What distinguishes an incandescent socket from a CFL socket? (Serious question...)
According to this site :
Incandescent light bulbs work by heating a tungsten filament, or wire, until it glows. This is what produces the light you see. Unfortunately, 90% of the energy used to generate that light is wasted as heat, making incandescent bulbs a very inefficient way to light your home.
CFLs, on the other hand, create a chemical reaction among gasses located inside the glass tube, causing phosphors to illuminate.ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs provide bright, warm light and use 75% less energy, produce 75% less heat, and lasts up to 10 times longer.