An analyst with Topeka Capital, who was touring Asia, meeting sources among supply chains, brings bad news to Microsoft investors. Analyst Brian White notes that the sentiment (among vendors and parts of the supply chain) about Windows 8 remains "overwhelmingly negative." Expectations from Microsoft's new client operating system plummet, as vendors don't see much activity following the October 26 launch.

"Although October is expected to be the sweet spot for the notebook ramp for Windows 8, and further follow through is likely in November, we were warned of idle facilities in December," notes White. "One of our contacts does not expect Windows 8 to be material until the second-half of 2013," he added. In related news, the industry is also reeling from a disappointing reception from Intel's 2011-12 pet project in the client computing space, Ultrabook. "...the enthusiasm around the Ultrabook ramp has also deteriorated as the cost structure remains too high under Intel's specifications," White notes.

Windows 8 Gets "Overwhelmingly Negative" Response from Vendors, Expectations Plummet