If you get a hosting machine of your own, it will work independently, so it will have its own Operating System and you can later install server side programs directly or script-driven websites via a hosting Cp. Although keeping the Os updated is not always considered an absolute necessity, it can be a very important task for several reasons. A newer OS version might have better support for certain hardware, so you may get better performance for the sites and web apps you install. Your server shall also be more secure as updates often include security patches which take care of small problems that may permit unauthorized individuals to access your content. Last, but not least, more modern script versions, which are also released for both boosted security and for additional features, may need a later version of the Operating System in order to work effectively and with their full capabilities.
