Planet CakePHP

I've been experimenting with some rails tutorials recently and it just seems like there are many more things that can go wrong with rails compared to php or am I just being paranoid?
(i.e the whole business of installing gems) - you are rarely required to include some php extension to get a php framework up and running but it seems to be the norm with rails open source applications like typo or radiant cms that you need to install a bunch of gems just to get the thing to work.

Also rails/ruby/gems are evolving quite frequently and it seems like there is a strong possibility of many compatibility problems between the version of a gem, rails and ruby that you happen to be running. I may be completely wrong but it just seems to a beginner like me that php has less configuration hassle.

What I'm asking is whether the syntax of ruby and general qualities of the rails framework make it worth investing time into as opposed to a php framework?

Thanks!