If you get a hosting machine of your own, it will operate independently, so it will have its own Os and you could later install server side programs directly or script-driven internet sites via a hosting Cp. Although keeping the Operating System updated isn't always considered a necessity, it can be a very important task for a variety of reasons. A more modern Operating system version could have better support for certain hardware, so you could get better performance for the sites and web apps you install. Your server will also be more protected because updates usually include security patches which deal with small issues which may permit unauthorized people to access your content. Last, but not least, more modern script versions, which are also released for both increased security and for additional features, might require a later version of the Operating System in order to work properly and with their 100 % capabilities.