I don't ignore requirements or fudge them, but I do interpret them based on what they want done. If they want 10 years of Ruby/Rails experience with a focus on

I don't ignore requirements or fudge them, but I do interpret them based on what they want done. If they want 10 years of Ruby/Rails experience with a focus on performance/scalability, maybe your 5 years of Python/Django is not applicable. But if they want 3 years of Ruby/Rails experience and you've got 5 years of Python/Django, and feel comfortable with the transition to Ruby, absolutely you should apply for that position. Be upfront about it and be prepared to demonstrate your ability, but that's what the interview is supposed to be about in the first place.