One thing I'd like to add to this conversation would be that the depreciation rate on rented items is probably a lot higher... most likely even when controlling for usage rate, though I'm less sure of the second part.

A lot of people just don't take good care of stuff, and it's especially visible when they're using stuff they don't own.

To the extent that careful use is a low cost preventative measure that owners would always choose to do, but renters won't (thus depreciation being like a negative externality), ownership would still be a more efficient use of resources in that dimension.

So wait, you're telling me a third-party transaction-cost-minimizing software HELPS TO MITIGATE other third-party transaction costs?

Heh, i'd like to one day get an accounting of how much software exists to fix problems created by other software.