When you buy fluorescent light bulbs they say what their Wattage rating is, and then compare it to a Wattage of an incandescent light bulb. So when I am looking to buy an incandescent light bulb for a lamp that says maximum Watt rating is 60W, I look for an incandescent where it says "equal to a 60W bulb".

So, if I wanted a really bright lamp, could I use a 60W fluorescent bulb where it says "max 60W" or would it be unsafe. The reason I ask is because I am guessing most of the Maximum Ratings were designed with incandescents in mind, not fluorescents.