MD11
For the MD11 the FMS will calculate a TOD point but it will usually end up putting the aircraft high and fast, unless we enter some data to fool the computer (eg. an extra 50KT tailwind.). So a lot of us tend to ignore the "magenta" and do it manually. We use the same old 3X rule that seems to work for most aircraft, then adjust it for HW/TW, ENG ANTI-ICE, and gross weight.
Assuming no ATC or arrival procedure restrictions, we plan to arrive at 10,000ft/250KIAS at 35NM from the runway. This we do as a flight idle descent from TOD and avoid use of spoilers if at all possible. Prior to TOD we program a descent speed into the FMS..generally 320KIAS/M0.82. This gives us some room to adjust speed on the way down if we start to deviate from the desired profile...eg: if the aircraft starts to get high of profile, increase to say 340 to get back on it...more speed/more drag/higher VS.
(As a technical aside...this line of thinking doesn't work when we are at low fuel loads. The MD11 max. IAS is significantly reduced once we burn below approx. 30,000lbs due to wing bending limitations. In that situation we can shallow the descent but really can't steepen it. Well...unless we use those spoilers. Which, incidentally, don't produce dramatic results anyway.)
As for slowing down...passing 12,000ft reduce VS to about -700ft/min and bleed the speed off gradually to arrive at the 250KIAS/10,000ft point. From there on in it's just a matter of judging when to start configuring.
(Actually, at high weights, 250KIAS is below our min clean maneuvering speed. Slats extend would get us down to 205 or so.)