  We show that strong-coupling (SC) of light and matter as it is realized with
quantum dots (QDs) in microcavities differs substantially from the paradigm of
atoms in optical cavities. The type of pumping used in semiconductors yields
new criteria to achieve SC, with situations where the pump hinders, or on the
contrary, favours it. We analyze one of the seminal experimental observation of
SC of a QD in a pillar microcavity [Reithmaier et al., Nature (2004)] as an
illustration of our main statements.
