Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Oct. 31, 2012	Oct. 31, 2011	Oct. 31, 2010
Note 15. Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Domestic	$ (35,535,000)	$ (46,365,000)	$ (53,915,000)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Income Taxes, Foreign	(302,000)	408,000	(2,367,000)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	(35,837,000)	(45,957,000)	(56,282,000)
Current Foreign Tax Expense (Benefit)	70,000	20,000	40,000
franchise tax expense	200,000	100,000	200,000
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate	(34.00%)	(34.00%)	(34.00%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, State and Local Income Taxes	(2.60%)	(2.30%)	(2.00%)
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Foreign Income Tax Rate Differential	0.20%	0.30%	0.00%
effective income tax rate reconciliation, net operating loss adjustment	(34.90%)	1.70%	1.60%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Nondeductible Expense	1.20%	1.90%	1.70%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Change in Enacted Tax Rate	(6.80%)	(2.40%)	7.60%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Other Adjustments	(0.10%)	0.30%	0.00%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Change in Deferred Tax Assets Valuation Allowance	77.20%	34.80%	25.10%
Effective Income Tax Rate, Continuing Operations	0.20%	0.30%	0.00%
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Compensation and Benefits, Employee Benefits	5,745,000	4,490,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Allowance for Doubtful Accounts	2,938,000	3,888,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Loss Carryforwards	14,396,000	6,222,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Equity Method Investments	4,068,000	2,490,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Operating Loss Carryforwards	219,496,000	202,635,000
deferred tax assets, deferred license revenue	2,533,000	2,847,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Inventory	857,000	1,158,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Property, Plant and Equipment	257,000	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross	250,290,000	223,730,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance	(249,294,000)	(222,536,000)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net of Valuation Allowance	996,000	1,194,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Investments	(996,000)	(884,000)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Property, Plant and Equipment	0	(310,000)
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Gross	(996,000)	(1,194,000)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	0	0
Valuation Allowance Allocated To Reduce Additional Paid In Capital	4,300,000
Federal Operating Loss Carryforwards	659,000,000
State Operating Loss Carryforwards	372,000,000
Tax Credits, State	9,500,000
Amount of Tax Credits to Expire	$ 1,000,000