Financial Instruments (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions	Apr. 30, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010
Contractual maturities of short-term and long-term investments in available-for-sale debt securities
Due in 1-5 years, cost	$ 11
Due in more than 5 years, cost	409
Total debt securities, at cost	420
Due in 1-5 years, fair value	11
Due in more than 5 years, fair value	447
Total debt securities, at fair value	458
Collateralized arrangements in asset position	40
U.S. Treasury securities deposited to a third-party custodian by the counterparties	30
Investment Holdings
Included in Other current assets		5
Included in long-term financing receivables and other assets	523	607
Total investments	523	612
Available-for-sale debt securities
Investment Holdings
Included in Other current assets		5
Included in long-term financing receivables and other assets	458	435
Available-for-sale equity securities
Investment Holdings
Included in long-term financing receivables and other assets	5	9
Equity securities in privately-held companies
Investment Holdings
Included in long-term financing receivables and other assets	51	154
Other investments
Investment Holdings
Included in long-term financing receivables and other assets	$ 9	$ 9

This item represents debt securities, at cost, net of adjustments made for accretion, amortization, other-than-temporary impairments, and hedging, if any, which are expected to mature after five years from the balance sheet date and which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

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- Definition

This item represents the fair value of debt securities which are expected to mature after five years from the balance sheet date and which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the amount of collateral posted by counterparties.

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- Definition

Represents the fair value of all derivative instruments under collateralized arrangements that were in a net asset position.

+ Details

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- Definition

This element represents the amount of investments included in long-term financing receivables and other assets on the balance sheet.

+ Details

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- Definition

Investments in debt and equity securities which are categorized neither as trading securities nor held-to-maturity securities and which are intended be sold or mature within one year from the balance sheet date or the normal operating cycle, whichever is longer. Such securities are reported at fair value; unrealized gains and losses related to Available-for-sale securities are excluded from earnings and reported in a separate component of shareholders' equity (other comprehensive income), unless the Available-for-sale security is designated as a hedge or is determined to have had an other than temporary decline in fair value below its amortized cost basis. All or a portion of the unrealized holding gain or loss of an Available-for-sale Security that is designated as being hedged in a fair value hedge shall be recognized in earnings during the period of the hedge, as should other than temporary declines in fair value below costs basis.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 43
-Chapter 3
-Section A
-Paragraph 4, 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 115
-Paragraph 13, 17

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 115
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph b

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 115
-Paragraph 16

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 22

+ Details

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- Definition

This item represents debt securities, at cost, net of adjustments made for accretion, amortization, other-than-temporary impairments, and hedging, if any, which are expected to mature after one year and through five years from the balance sheet date and which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)
-Number FAS115-1/124-1
-Paragraph 7
-Footnote 2

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 115
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph b

+ Details

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- Definition

This item represents the fair value of debt securities which are expected to mature after one year and through five years from the balance sheet date and which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 115
-Paragraph 20
-Subparagraph b

+ Details

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- Definition

This item represents the total of all debt securities grouped by maturity dates, at cost, net of adjustments made for accretion, amortization, other-than-temporary impairments, and hedging, if any, which are classified neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

This item represents the total of all debt securities grouped by maturity dates, at fair value, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 115
-Paragraph 20

+ Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ Details

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- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of current and noncurrent investments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 03
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph h
-Article 7

+ Details

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