What I'm trying to say is that it's not just some simple linear trade you can make where "less quality" implies "more features" or "more quality" implies "less

What I'm trying to say is that it's not just some simple linear trade you can make where "less quality" implies "more features" or "more quality" implies "less features". Usually when I encounter this line of thinking, especially when it simplistic, it does a lot of damage. The biggest damage tends to be when people who are less familiar with the fundamentals of software construction use this line of thinking when allocating resources or making planning decisions.