So let's say there is an expensive piece of software (or otherwise unavailable title) that I wouldn't be willing to buy but I would be willing to rent it per-hour, perhaps?  (And can't get a bootleg copy / or don't want to install it?) 

I could see demand for this.  Even within the bitcoin world ... I'ld pay for access to a system loaded with sierra charts all configured to access Mt. Gox feed, for instance.  As a Linux user I would need to set up a Windows VM and install it and ...   ya, so I've never touched Sierra Charts.  But I might pay to rent a system that has it, for a few hours.