Eglish speakers help me to figure out! - independant from or independant of? (May/08/2007 )
I have to agree with the majority. I would go with "independent of".
English is not my firts language either. I rarely see grammatical debates in english, it sounds funny! 
The thing is, people who have learned English formally as a second or third language are probably the better judges of what's right! A native speaker (like me) generally hasn't learned many of the "rules" and just go by what sounds and looks right. Most of the grammar I learned in school had to do with punctuation, not usage . . . 
I'm not only a native speaker but actually have a degree in English (don't ask) and I'm going to vote with the "independent of" crowd.
I can't justify it, but it just sounds right. I'll have to dig up some of my old grammar textbooks and figure it out.
thank you everyone! i give up, i will put independant of. 
Kathy, please correct the spelling of 'independent' also
i score 0 in spelling. actually my mozilla browzer dictionary corrects all the spelling for me. but most of the time i just ignore red lines under the words 
Sometimes I did the same mistake too. looks right for me too for independant. 
Not a native speaker as well. Here goes a shot...
"Independent of" gives a meaning to "independent" as being "FREE FROM THE influence/control/judgement etc".
E.g. Country B is financially independent (free from the helping hands) of Country A
whereas
"Independent from" gives a meaning to "independent" as being "FREE" (full stop)
E.g. Country B is independent (free) from country A or
Public voting should be independent (free) from money politics.
Now I'm confused... haha