If you get a hosting machine of your own, it will work independently, so it will have its own Operating System and you could later install server side apps directly or script-driven sites via a hosting Control Panel. Though keeping the Os updated is not always considered an absolute necessity, it can be a very important task for a number of reasons. A more modern OS version could have better support for specific hardware, so you might get better performance for the websites and web apps that you install. Your server will also be more secure because updates typically include security patches that fix small problems that may enable unauthorized individuals to access your content. Last, but not least, current script versions, which are also released for both improved security and for additional features, might require a later version of the Os in order to work effectively and with their 100 % capabilities.