Reviews and Ratings
Every programming language out there has flaws, and Ruby is no exception. the question is how bad are the flaws, and are the good parts good enough to justify using the tool anyway. You have to answer that for yourself, but Ruby is definitely worth investigating if you care about the tools you use.
The bottom line is, when you compare the syntax and structure of Ruby with other similar "mainstream" languages, it is obvious that the design of Ruby was intended to make things easier for *users* of the language, instead of the *implementers* of the language.
People who have not spent a lot of time using different programming languages, or who have not invented and implemented a programming language for themselves may not have as much appreciation for this.
Yes, there is a lot of Ruby-related *hype* and exaggeration out there, but that's true of lots of technologies, some of which should never have seen the light of day.