system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5:Why are normal downloads of .exe files (e.g. adobe flash player) replaced with small, 1MB exe files that then start and initialise the download?

Instead of letting me install the exe myself??
gpt
The benefit of having a separate installer is twofold:

1. The installer can be universal, and then download and install the correct version for your particular computer architecture.  For instance, it can install either the 32-bit or 64-bit version of the program depending on your CPU/OS combination, without you having to know which one you have.

2. It prevents having outdated versions of the program floating around on the Internet.  There are lots of websites that re-host software downloads, and when the installer is separate from the program itself, then they can update the download picked up by the installer in the background, preventing installers hosted on 3rd party websites from becoming obsolete.