The web installer still has to download and install the full thing so it boils down to the same thing.

Pankaj just makes the assumption that most people who want to use his app will have to download/install .NET while in reality most people already have the required version installed. .NET installs automatically with Windows updates etc. And most modern apps need .NET because it is the primary (and most used) Windows development platform.

Edit: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb398202.aspx