Audition and the Creative Cloud
Anyone who follows audio and video software knows by now that Adobe has moved to a subscription "cloud-based" delivery system for their software. This means that while the previous version of Adobe's software (CS6) is still available to purchase outright, all new versions of the software are now only available via a licensed "subscription" model through the Adobe Creative Cloud. A more elaborate explanation of the new Creative Cloud system is available at Adobe's website here, but the gist of it is you are now renting the program by month instead of buying it outright and owning the physical product.
I'm not going to go in to the pros and cons of whether Adobe should have moved their suite of applications into the cloud, but I do want to say that while it's a fundamentally different way of buying/using your Adobe software, the actual installation and interaction with it is, from my point of view, a much faster and easier experience and the subscription pricing is a good deal. Still, there are many consumers who are upset about the move and I understand their frustration.
You can see the full breakdown of how Adobe is offering their Creative Cloud applications here. I personally chose to upgrade from CS6 and now pay $29.99 per month for all of Adobe's most popular programs. For me, the benefits of the updates in Audition CC, Premiere Pro CC and Adobe After Effects CC alone are worth the monthly rental fee.
Installation, after a few clicks to set up payment methods, is extremely simple for Audition CC. I was up running within 15 minutes after signing up and paying the first month's fee. You do have to have an internet connection for the initial installation, but after that you can work offline for up to 90 days. And you don't have to install all of the Creative Cloud applications right away. There's a full FAQ on the Creative Cloud here, which should answer any other questions you might have outside of this review.