[rhinocaster]

It looks like most of the opinions on quality here are defined by, or at least driven by, an interpretation of the idea laid out by Pirsig.

With this thought, "Quality" is defined by the attitude and intent of the individual building the product. It also is defined by how it fits the purchasers needs.

I'm still at a bit of a loss. If we take two cars that are built to do the same thing, let's say a Toyota and a Yugo, can we compare the quality of the two cars as they relate to each other? Is it simply that a Toyota and a Ferrari are so far apart in their design and functionality goals that they can't be compared to each other?

If that's the case, can we compare Toyota and Ferrari Formula 1 cars? They're built to do the same thing, under the same conditions and set of rules, and yet the performances of the two cars are quite different.