If you get a hosting machine of your own, it will operate independently, so it'll have its own Operating System and you'll be able to later install server side programs directly or script-driven websites through a hosting Cp. While keeping the Operating System updated is not always considered fundamental, it can be a very important task for several reasons. A newer OS version might have better support for specific hardware, so you may get better performance for the websites and web applications which you install. Your server will also be more safe as updates often include security patches which deal with small issues which may permit unauthorized individuals to access your content. Last, but not least, current 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 correctly and with their full capabilities.