as in a separate execution unit on chip, that handles AltiVec outside of the PPC core?
that sounds plausible, (Apple's AMX on their ARM chips works much the same) but I've never dug around in a G4. I'm very curious now!
Have a Mackey 'Compact Extended Keyboard' SKB-102MJ on the way from Japan. Can't seem to find all that much info on these keyboards, other than it has Alps black switches and was sold under a bunch of other different brand names ( Macway, Filco etc. ). Seems like they came in a black / powerbook...