A strut (aka MacPherson strut, named after the Ford engineer who created them) is actually *part* of the front suspension, it it not merely a device to dampen movement of the suspension. A shock, on the other hand, is an add-on to the suspension, not structurally critical.
Make sense?
The best quality shocks & struts (in my opinion) are made by Bilstein. If all you ever do is cruise around, though, and you have a mostly stock suspension, then stock spec shocks & struts will work fine for you. If your car is lowered, I'd recommend aftermarket shocks & struts, perhaps Tokico Premiums -- the stock shocks & struts are not meant to handle the higher rate springs you install when you lower the car.
I agree with Dave that Bilsteins are about the best out their, but there are certainly some cheaper alternatives. Mayeb go with some Tokicos or Koni's (I really don't know much about he Koni's).