From: William James [mailto:w_a_x_man / yahoo.com] 
# s = "ZBBBCZZ"
#     ==>"ZBBBCZZ"
# s.scan( /((.)\2*)/ ).transpose.first
#     ==>["Z", "BBB", "C", "ZZ"]
# s.gsub( /(.)(?!\1)/, "\\1\n" ).split
#     ==>["Z", "BBB", "C", "ZZ"]

ruby hacker, James, that is cool! gotta keep this.
kind regards -botp