Photo-print longevity, textile durability, signage weatherability, and fine art archiveability have been greatly improved by selecting the substrate and the ink together, sometimes even including the finishing step in the process. As ink jet technology spreads from the desktop into a diversity of new markets, many improvements are being tied to the use of one vendor's matched ink and media.Highlighting these approaches, this paper emphasizes the combined chemistry developed for the inks and media for specific applications, the impact of individual ingredients on the overall system, the criteria for selecting the pairs, and the benefits and the problems in developing matched sets for these system solution approaches.Consideration of whether this specialized, selective ink and media approach, that is the norm in tradition industrial and commercial applications, will dominate ink jet as it gradually invades these applications will be discussed as well as whether this more limited matched system approach will displace efforts in items such as UV curing inks, and cross-linking emulsions, which are aimed at the ideal ink that is media independent, permanent and fast drying.