If you have a small beatup laptop and want to rent say heavy hardware and expensive software, a technology demonstration is underway at www.analysis.utk.edu
We basically use a Citrix Server to run R, SAS and JMP ( among others on the Web through the browser)
Note- If you just run this on a normal Web Server with lots of hardware packed behind it- you can start giving cloud computing solutions to your clients for free.
And eliminate the OS ( Windows unless you like them ) and HW ( Read HP etc etc)
thus reducing Total Cost of Ownership for your final customers.
Is Revolution / SAS / SPSS Listening.
See Screenshot-
(Note this can be of terrific use for say software companies wanting to license out new markets in Asia as they can also analyze usage data and share the efficiencies with newer users. By adopting a Software as a Service Model ( by optimizing the revenue stream for cannibalization effects) they can also gain an advantage over more established players ( like R and SPSS /IBM can do with its need for more hardware and broader sales and distribution network)
Note- these are my personal views only and dont represent the University’s views. For more on University of Tennessee ‘s technology initiatives please go to http://oit.utk.edu/index.php where Scott Studham is using his expertise to revolutionalize the way education costs can be lowered using technology.
DECISION STATS 
By the way, the URL doesn’t start with “www.” It’s just http://analysis.utk.edu
One of the great things about that type of server is that you can open local files with the usual “File>Open” and it will see your local hard drive. Saving files is just “File>Save”. No need to learn FTP.
It also sees and can print to your local printers. Very nice!
You may want to offer that service for free, but certainly no commercial vendor will agree to it. All their contracts contain clauses that forbid use as a service bureau. I can’t blame them for that; if they allowed it, they would sell only one copy and everyone would use the service provider.
You could do it with R, Octave, etc., if you can afford to give away hardware resources. Perhaps watching advertisements while analyzing data?