If you get a hosting machine of your own, it will run independently, so it will have its own Operating System and you'll be able to later install server side applications directly or script-driven internet sites via a hosting Control Panel. Though keeping the Operating System updated is not always considered fundamental, it can be a rather important task for a number of reasons. A newer OS version might have better support for certain hardware, so you could get better performance for the internet sites and web applications which you install. Your server will also be more secure because updates often include security patches that deal with small issues that may permit unauthorized individuals to access your content. Last, but not least, current script versions, which are also released for both increased security and for additional features, may need a later version of the Os in order to work effectively and with their 100 % capabilities.