CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (USD $)	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Non-controlling Interest in VMware
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2008	$ 13,655,950,000	$ 20,129,000	$ 2,817,054,000	$ 10,671,212,000	$ (179,952,000)	$ 327,507,000
Beginning Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2008		2,012,938,000
Stock issued through stock option and stock purchase plans (in shares)		38,729,000
Stock issued through stock option and stock purchase plans	366,361,000	387,000	365,974,000
Tax benefit from stock options exercised	33,967,000		33,967,000
Restricted stock grants, cancellations and withholdings, net	(55,302,000)	8,000	(55,310,000)
Restricted stock grants, cancellations and withholdings, net (in shares)		774,000
Stock options issued in business acquisitions	83,780,000		83,780,000
Stock-based compensation	604,757,000		604,757,000
Impact from equity transactions of VMware, Inc.	174,091,000		25,569,000			148,522,000
Actuarial gain (loss) on pension plan, net of tax (benefit) of $(11,410) in 2010, $(1,392) in 2010 and $13,092 in 2009	21,877,000				21,877,000
Change in market value of investments	35,055,000				34,216,000	839,000
Change in market value of derivatives	3,187,000				3,187,000
Translation adjustment	14,950,000				14,950,000
Net income	1,121,801,000			1,088,077,000		33,724,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2009	16,060,474,000	20,524,000	3,875,791,000	11,759,289,000	(105,722,000)	510,592,000
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2009		2,052,441,000
Stock issued through stock option and stock purchase plans (in shares)		63,710,000
Stock issued through stock option and stock purchase plans	780,732,000	637,000	780,095,000
Tax benefit from stock options exercised	288,749,000		288,749,000
Restricted stock grants, cancellations and withholdings, net	(66,122,000)	58,000	(66,180,000)
Restricted stock grants, cancellations and withholdings, net (in shares)		5,762,000
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)		(52,667,000)
Repurchase of common stock	(999,924,000)	(527,000)	(999,397,000)
EMC purchase of VMware stock	(399,224,000)		(353,915,000)			(45,309,000)
Stock options issued in business acquisitions	28,668,000		28,668,000
Stock-based compensation	684,276,000		684,276,000
Impact from equity transactions of VMware, Inc.	38,492,000		(186,177,000)			224,669,000
Actuarial gain (loss) on pension plan, net of tax (benefit) of $(11,410) in 2010, $(1,392) in 2010 and $13,092 in 2009	(4,057,000)				(4,057,000)
Change in market value of investments	33,034,000				29,941,000	3,093,000
Change in market value of derivatives	(8,145,000)				(8,145,000)
Translation adjustment	(4,634,000)				(4,634,000)
Reclassification to convertible debt to mezzanine (Note E)	(235,229,000)		(235,229,000)
Net income	1,969,686,000			1,899,995,000		69,691,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	18,166,776,000	20,692,000	3,816,681,000	13,659,284,000	(92,617,000)	762,736,000
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2010		2,069,246,000
Stock issued through stock option and stock purchase plans (in shares)		51,585,000
Stock issued through stock option and stock purchase plans	673,389,000	516,000	672,873,000
Tax benefit from stock options exercised	382,725,000		382,725,000
Restricted stock grants, cancellations and withholdings, net	(120,080,000)	99,000	(120,179,000)
Restricted stock grants, cancellations and withholdings, net (in shares)		9,869,000
Repurchase of common stock (in shares)	(81,810,000)	(81,810,000)
Repurchase of common stock	(1,999,968,000)	(818,000)	(1,999,150,000)
EMC purchase of VMware stock	(399,984,000)		(354,818,000)			(45,166,000)
Stock options issued in business acquisitions	3,224,000		3,224,000
Stock-based compensation	837,637,000		837,637,000
Impact from equity transactions of VMware, Inc.	(195,301,000)		(301,965,000)			106,664,000
Actuarial gain (loss) on pension plan, net of tax (benefit) of $(11,410) in 2010, $(1,392) in 2010 and $13,092 in 2009	(22,050,000)				(22,050,000)
Change in market value of investments	(25,726,000)				(22,049,000)	(3,677,000)
Change in market value of derivatives	(94,512,000)				(94,496,000)	(16,000)
Translation adjustment	(3,797,000)				(3,797,000)
Reclassification to convertible debt to mezzanine (Note E)	115,904,000		115,904,000
Net income	2,608,885,000			2,461,337,000		147,548,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 19,927,122,000	$ 20,489,000	$ 3,052,932,000	$ 16,120,621,000	$ (235,009,000)	$ 968,089,000
Ending Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011		2,048,890,000