Significant Accounting Policies (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 years	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Allowance for doubtful accounts	$ 2,500,000	$ 3,400,000
Retirement of property and equipment	33,100,000	8,900,000
Impairment of long-lived assets	0	0	4,200,000
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets, minimum (in years)	3
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets, maximum (in years)	7
Goodwill impairment	0	0
Amount capitalized related to internal use software	43,300,000	37,700,000
Amount expensed related to internal use software	37,200,000	24,700,000	18,900,000
Allowance for estimated product returns	1,400,000	900,000
Remeasurement and foreign currency transaction gains (losses)	4,700,000	3,500,000	4,100,000
Advertising costs	130,800,000	123,000,000	99,200,000
Accounts Receivable [Member] | Ingram Micro [Member]
Percentage of gross accounts receivable related to one customer	14.00%	17.00%
Foreign Postretirement Benefit Plans [Member]
Termination indemnities	5,100,000	5,200,000
Termination indemnities, compensation expense	$ 1,800,000	$ 1,100,000	$ 1,400,000
Patents [Member]
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets, maximum (in years)	10
Estimated useful lives of intangible assets (in years)	10
Computer Equipment [Member]
Estimated useful lives of property and equipment (in years)	3
Software [Member]
Estimated useful lives of property and equipment (in years)	3
Minimum useful life of property and equipment (in years)	3
Maximum useful life of property and equipment (in years)	7
Office Equipment and Furniture [Member]
Estimated useful lives of property and equipment (in years)	3
Enterprise Resource Planning System [Member]
Estimated useful lives of property and equipment (in years)	7
Buildings [Member]
Estimated useful lives of property and equipment (in years)	40
Leasehold Improvements [Member]
Minimum useful life of property and equipment (in years)	5
Licence Update [Member]
Revenue recognition period, minimum (in months)	12
Revenue recognition period, maximum (in months)	24
Online Service Agreements [Member]
Revenue Recognition, Period for Recognition, Average	12