I pointed out that they were not easier to build. Jet engines were. What I am saying is there was a point in time, let's call it T, when people first acquired

I pointed out that they were not easier to build. Jet engines were. What I am saying is there was a point in time, let's call it T, when people first acquired both the knowledge and practical techniques to build jet engines. What I have said is that, prior to time T, building jet engines was not easier than building reciprocating engines. In fact, prior to time T, building jet engines was generally impossible, because people did not yet possess the knowledge and practical techniques to build jet engines. Therefore, prior to time T, building reciprocating engines was easier. They could be built using light adaptation of well-understood existing technology, and "can build today" is more practical and easier than "might be able to build in a couple decades", if what you want is airplanes right now. Even though later advances would produce jet engines, and those engines would be mechanically simpler, easier, every adjective you'd like to throw at them, those advances had not yet happened. You seem to be arguing that: * After time T, jet engines are easier, therefore * Prior to time T, jet engines also were easier, therefore * There was no time at which jet engines were harder And you seem to be doing this for no other reason than to try to pedantically show someone up on HN. So I'm going to stop engaging with you now.