On Sun, 27 Nov 2005, Sawney Beane wrote:

I'm more mistrustful of bayonet bases than Edison bases. Most bayonet
bulbs I deal with are automobile tail lights, which may have been
corroding and vibrating for decades.

Vibration: Poor socket design.
Corrosion: Failure of US specifications to require nickel-plated bases.

Neither is due to the bayonet base design per se.

An American can save money by buying unfamiliar foreign brands of
Edison-base bulbs. They may be more troublesome than the familiar
brands. I can buy an American brand with confidence

Are you *sure*? That used to be the case, but many of the American-brand
lamps now available are (badly) made in China.