Is a quad salchow easier than a triple axel?

It depends on the skater. Some find the axel very difficult. Others may find it easy. The salchow is considered an easy jump in general; the axel a difficult one. Men have been doing triple axels for ages. We have not seen many ladies doing those because they require upper body strength. We did not see many quad salchows among men until recently (last 3-4 years). I am guessing it is more difficult because it has 4 complete revolutions vs. the 3.5 revs of a triple axel. However, it depends on the skater. If a skater finds triple salchow difficult, he/she won't even attempt a quad salchow. Those having difficulty with a double axel (usually ladies) may not want to try a triple axel. For these high-revolution jumps I assume a skater will go for a jump that he/she feels comfortable with.

I'm a non skater but it dose not prevent me chime in this topic. lol.

I agree it depends on diff skater. But if you take a close watch, 4sal actually as a prerotation of about 1/2 when the free legel swing in to get the lift. Thus actual air rotations are the same, both 3.5 rotations.

I think the fact that in both women's and men's skating the 3X preceeded the 4S by over ten years quite definitevely shows the 4S is much harder

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It's important to remember though that the female's hips turn out and the man's don't. That impacts the take off of the axel. The hip should be closed on an axel take-off which is natural for the man and less so for the ladies. The salchow allows for the hip to be more open.

Plus, didn't they give Surya Bonaly credit for the first quad?

The CoP ratings (for jump difficulty) are probably more relevant to elite skating. I got the ratings from the current USFS rulebook. They are not arbitrary.