QSPICE follows the lead as many other pieces of premium software. For example, Google Earth. The Google Earth “installer” downloads the real installer.
The reason so much mainstream software works like this is to ensure people are installing the most up-to-date version available. There’s no value to problem reports from obsolete versions.
Eventually, there will be probably be a completely offline installer in the interest of supporting air-gapped installations such as used by government concerns. But, frankly, my experience is that government concerns do whatever is necessary, i.e., an internet installer doesn’t slow them down. For example, when I visited a razor wire enclosed compound in the desert, was escorted in by a squad with automatic weapons, X-rayed going in and out, and the office doors had Group 1R Sargent & Greenleaf combination locks, the computer monitors were air-gapped and enclosed in RF shielding, they didn’t ask for an offline installer.
–Mike