As a Dell employee, I think all the internal emails about the XPS 10 that we're getting sum up how well this Microsoft deal will go.
XPS 10 is Dell's version of the Surface RT. Pretty much as soon as this launched we've been getting emails about a "great offer" to own one, with a far, far bigger staff discount that the (terrible) discount we normally get. This is something that never happens - Its cheaper to buy a Dell from PC World(!!!) than using the staff discount and buying direct, and the response from senior management has been "well then, go to PC world"
The volume and frequency of these literally begging emails to buy this RT indicates theres a warehouse in China stuffed to the gunnels with this piece of junk that Microsoft dictated and nobody wants.
They can try and blame OEM's, but this is one OEM that rolled over and did exactly what Balmer requested. Net result is Michael Dells next purchase is going to be a excavator, to dig a gargantuan hole to bury all these unwanted and unsold units.
Icing on the cake was our Windows 2012 training, with course materials provided directly by Microsoft. The first four or five slides were all about why a touch interface is a good idea on a server - First time I've ever heard a whole classroom howl with laughter at an operating system training slide deck!