Due to a security breach a few years ago, our server master had to implement the login page to increase security.
If you are referring to the 1.17a executable you have to download separately and install, that is a hotfix our server master made due to their being an issue with the executable that comes in the installer. He just has never gone back and fixed the installer, unfortunately.
Is there any plans to revamp the client and fix these issues so you don't need to have a browser open and the game isn't in a file?
We have looked into other possible routs we can take with this particular security measure, however we have not yet decided exactly what we are going to do. Regardless, we are looking into alternatives!