Yes it's true, a standard CFL should never be used with timers, dimmers, photocells, or computerized ambient light building controll systems. And can cause an electrical fire if improperly mated. But then so can any device if improperly deployed.

However there is hope, first I'll tackle your photocell issue, there are photo cell fixtures that are designed as florescent fixtures or to work with CFL's. Before replacing the whole fixture for one of the previously mentioned units you may wish to try one other route.
Look for a "dimmable" CFL or one certified to work with incandescent light controlls... these particular bulbs have a much more sophisticated voltage sensing electronic ballast and may solve your photo cell trouble... but all photo cell circuts are a smidge different so I can't guarantee it will work in you particular fixture... but it works for 80% of the ones I've fitted. The others simply don't light up... I only had magic smoke from one, but I already knew it would happen... Why some people ask for your expertise then ignore it and insist the opposite must be done is beyond me!

Anyway, and as the name implies dimmable CFL's may be used with most light dimming systems.

However timers are just as tricky as photocells as some will pass voltage and some will not. About two years ago I had to solve these same issues for my mother who rang me complaining her plant lights were eating up huge amounts of power... my first suggestion was a large wall of triple glazed window with thermal shades... I was even willing to speak with her landlord who for the record has been very understanding about all the other "wacky" changes... she didn't bite on that one...

She wanted electric lighting but wanted to switch the plant lights to fluorescent to save on usage, this was all logical to her as she had been using fluorescent for years for everything else... but there was a catch she wanted it to all be automatic... that's right... a timer!
The solution here was a fully digital appliance timer.. an appliance timer of this type is different from a mechanical lighting timer, as it uses a rely to switch things on and off. It is also has very low standby consumption and doesn't play with the voltage at all.
I mounted track lighting with large style fixture heads and installed dimmable CFL flood lamps in those to prevent the short ripple from the relay and the reactive current from the "shop light" type fixture over her african violet table from blowing the ballasts. And so far everything is behaving.

One type using a magnetic choke to limit the current and operating at the AC voltage frequency. ( Mag CFL)

Another type is using an electronic ballast doing the job of the choke many times better. (ELCT-CFL)

The MAG-CFL hates MSW converters and may die soon, sometimes around less than 1000 hurs of life.

ELECT-CFL works with MSW well if the internal circuitry has a good storage capacitor to operate during the time the MSW waveform is not present.

Phosphors: there are two types of Phosphor CFLs.

CFLs with single Phosphor that have a much lower life, around 4 to 6000 hours.
CFLs with tri-phosphor that have a long life up to 12000 or 18000 hours with a much better white color.

Heat is the killer for a CFL lamp, specially if the lamp is down and the socket is up ( the electronic ballast is located between the socket and where the lamp tubing placement, with the circuit encased by a very small plastic form since the electronics is simple, two high voltage transistors with a small starting circuit and the storage DC Voltage capacitor.

Multiple ON-OFF switching is another killer that really shortens the lamp life, I do not remember now the life of the lamps versus the ON-OFF cycles but is quite damaging.

ELECT-CFLs with tri-phosphor should be the ones we should buy, though the cost is higher and one needs to find the right one.

The ELECT-CFLS do operate well with DC voltages ( 120 to 200 volts DC) for the 115 volts.

There is a third type and it is the electrode-less lamps that have more than 100,000 hours of life.
These lamps have a very special ballast, it is a Radio Frequency generator and the coil of the generator is wrap around the donut lamp that makes the RF to excite the mercury inside causing the phosphor to light up -- expensive and difficult to find because there is problems with the RF generated that is as well transmitted causing RFI ( Radio Frequency Interference) in radios near by.

So look for a lamp with tri-phosphor and electronic ballast for best life and light output, pay the added cost.

Regards

"Customers are advised to exercise caution and diligence when selecting timers and photocells for use with CFLs. Photocells contain a silicon chip that converts radiant energy into electrical current. Most photocells today do this in a manner that is incompatible with CFLs, resulting in a shortened lamp life. Timers are devices that allow trickle voltage to cycle through the lamp when it is off. This causes the lamp to try and start itself when there is not the proper supply voltage present. This also shortens the lamp life."

"In both cases CFLs are labeled as unsuitable for such use, because the user would not realize the average rated life from the bulb when used in this manner. Using CFLs in a manner inconsistent with their design voids any warranty. Customers should only use timers and photocells that are rated for use with CFLs."

I've found they don't last in a globe fixture either. Must be the heat build up inside. I have one in a laundry room that burns 24/7 and it lasted about two years before failure. I probably have 20 others in the house and have had no failures.
At the camp there are 3 outdoors and have no failures, just a little slower to warm up in the cold.

I never used timers or dimmers on it though. I only had one standard screw in type go bad, and that was my fault. I had it in a drop light hanging outside in the yard and forgot about it. It got very wet in a storm, water got inside the fixture, it only has a bright glow in one tiny spot now. Actualy I have not been using this type longer enough to know what life to expect, used them well over a year now though.

Perhaps the answer is use the timmers light sensors on a relay? If off the relay is totally off, if on then full power is on. None of the in between stuff of a tiny bit of power when off or less than full power when on. With a relay set up for totally off and totally on maybe they will last longer and still be controlled as wanted.

As for the cold effect, all I have ever noticed myself is they are harder to start when cold and also burn dimmer untill they warm themselfs up. I have been around alot of the long straight tube types for years, business, carnival rides etc.. talk about outdoor use, put a few on a 30' tall ride then spin it fairly fast like a Skydiver or Ferris wheel :)
Hot summers, cold rain, cold spring and fall in the north usa, etc...
Most I ever saw was sometimes having to rub them gently in the cold with your hand to get them started up. For the business ones they were fine and lasted many years and worked normall durring normal weather. Carnival ride tubes have a short average life not because of use abuse, because some clod drops a bull pin or hammer and it smashes 3 or 4 tubes on the way to the ground durring setup or teardowns.
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nothing to lose

1. Being on.
2. Turning on.

A CFL turned on/off 4 times/day will have a shorter life than one left on all the time.

Most dimmers work by chopping the AC wave, CFL doesn't like that at all.
Most Photo switches use the same circuit as a dimmer. CFL don't like.

Some CFL work fine with modified sin, others do not.
If CFL makes a buzzing noise, it's complaining, turn off:-)

Instant on or ones with an electronic ballast, seem to last longer.
I do not like to walk into a dark room, which happens with the slow start.

My voltage is 120 to 126v. Long life bulbs last about 3-6 months.
CFL last years, even the ones turned on/off.

I have three 27w cfl's in outside carriage lamp type fixtures.  Avg winter temp in the evening (S. Alberta), is -15C to -25C. These lights are turned on/off probably 2-3 times a week or more.  They have been in there since Oct 2001...still going strong and give much better/stronger light than the 90w clears that were origanlly installed.

The attached garage has 2 - 27w inside and they get turned on 3-4 times a day...also been in there for 4 years.  Rest of house is pretty much cfl with many in fixtures that are smnoked glass covered.  

So far have only had to replace 2 and those ones were in a dining room fixture that was actually open. There I think the problem was that the flou tubes (spiral type), were touching the glass Chandelier as well as my hitting my head everytime I stand up from the dining room table.!

2 upstaris bathrooms had, when we first took possession, those 5 -6 light above the mirror type fixtures...with 90w incandescents..heck that is 450w to brush yor teeth. We replaced them with 12w cfls and have not had a problem since..more light too.!

Even if I have to replace 1 or 2 every couple of years, I will stick with cfl's for sure. they make a difference.

I was useing a cheap but nice plastic drop light ( $5 at wallmart) and a $4 CFL in it. It is half closed all the way around. Course this light is not used all the time like a normal house light would be, but the bulb is probably over a year old. I hang this light from a tree in the yard for a yard light often, it has been in hot and cold weather, as a work light under the vehicles it gets bounced around and rough treatment,  and of course it is always being turned on and off.

I am actaully suprised it still works. With a normal 75-100 watt bulb I would have blown a dozen or more, those little bumps blow bulbs fast. Also I was tired of getting burnt when I bump into the drop light using the metal ones and the plastic ones melt from a normal bulbs heat. So far replacing the bulb has saved back the cost of a CFL bulb just with how many other bulbs I would have went through already, savings in power usage is great also since I run it off an inverter and battery.

I wonder how long this one will actaully last. No way to judge the hours, but it stands up to abuse pretty well :)
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nothing to lose