Accessing The Database Remotely From Non-microsoft Platform

I have a query of the kind brains of this group.

Is it possible to access a microsoft sqlserver database (for select, insert,
update, delete, and for miscellaneous administrative actions such as table
and index creation and deletion) remotely from a compiled C program (and/or,
from Perl) running on a NON microsoft platform, such as Sun's Solaris and/or
Linux?

What toolset(s) could be used (on the UNIX/Linux end) for such a purpose?
Would it require a corresponding special toolset to be installed on the
Windows server end as well? (I'd prefer not to have to do that if
possible.)

If you are not now rolling on the floor laughing at the "heresy" of such a
notion, thanks in advance.

Dan
Join Bytes! (replace 'glowing' with 'lucent')