Is it possible to use SS without the database layer?

More specifically I am thinking of using SS as the presentation layer for some other apps. So I would just be using the controllers and templating that SS provides and not the standard SS database.

Just wanting to see if anyone else has done anything like this before I get in to it myself.

Depends if you would accept http://sqlite.org/?

"a self-contained, serverless, zero-configuration, transactional SQL database engine"

you can install an ss module to use
the sqlite.dll is often included (or can simply be installed) on webhosts php setup