[link|http://money.cnn.com/2007/09/17/news/international/microsoft_ruling/index.htm?postversion=2007091708|http://money.cnn.com...ersion=2007091708]

A European court dealt Microsoft Corp. a harsh blow Monday as it rejected the company's appeal of a landmark 2004 antitrust ruling, and upheld a $605 million fine against the world's largest software maker.

The European Union's Court of First Instance said the EU's antitrust commission ruled correctly against Microsoft when it said the software maker stifled competition by unfairly leveraging its dominant position in the market for PC operating systems into work-group server operating systems and media players.