If you get a hosting machine of your own, it will work independently, so it'll have its own Os and you could later install server side applications directly or script-driven websites via a hosting Cp. Though keeping the Operating System updated is not always considered a necessity, it can be a very important task for a variety of reasons. A newer Operating system version might have better support for certain hardware, so you might get better performance for the internet sites and web applications which you install. Your server will also be more safe because updates typically include security patches that take care of small problems which may enable unauthorized individuals to access your content. Last, but not least, more modern script versions, which are also released for both enhanced security and for additional features, might require a later version of the Os in order to work effectively and with their 100 % capabilities.