Other (Expense) Income, Net (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Jul. 31, 2011		Jul. 31, 2010		Jul. 31, 2011		Jul. 31, 2010
Other (Expense) Income, Net
Interest income	$ 521,000		$ 1,315,000		$ 1,686,000		$ 4,545,000
(Loss) gain on assets related to deferred compensation plan	(2,774,000)		(2,165,000)		5,845,000		3,662,000
Foreign currency exchange (loss) gain	(483,000)		(1,234,000)		1,732,000		(1,201,000)
Write-down of long-term investments	0		(468,000)		(999,000)		(468,000)
Other, net	524,000	[1]	(494,000)	[1]	768,000	[1]	1,571,000	[1]
Total	(2,212,000)		(3,046,000)		9,032,000		8,109,000
Gain on sale of investments	$ 800,000				$ 800,000		$ 2,100,000

[1] Includes a $0.8 million gain on the sale of an equity investment during the three and nine months ended July 31, 2011, and a $2.1 million gain on the sale of an equity investment during the nine months ended July 31, 2010.