I'm an outsider to the Ruby community. I've used it a time or two, 
mostly to get familiar with it. I've read part of the PickAxe, but my 
job (Java) keeps me in Java-land. I'm wondering what those of you using 
Ruby feel are Ruby's chances of taking off. At least to the extent that 
you could begin to see it used in places where J2EE is being used 
currently. I know this is already happening. But my question is more 
with regards to the future. Is something like RoR worth learning in the 
context of being able to actually put it to use in the future? I know 
I'm asking for conjecture. And that's all I expect. But not being 
actively involved in the community, I get no sense as to how much 
momentum Ruby has, and thus what the chances of it becoming more 
commonly used, are.

I know Java has a head start and has the backing of many large 
corporations, so it's perhaps not an apt comparison to make. But I like 
the language. And I like the philosophy of Ruby. To what extent this is 
translating into projects and jobs, however, I have no idea.

Preston