Synaptic Package Manager. In Ubuntu Feisty, it's preinstalled under System -> Administration.
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynapticHowto
There's also the Ubuntu Update Manger which comes up whenever packages can be upgraded. The repositories are not current though, so you can still install the real latest version from the people who make the software.
And as for the wireless... yes, ndiswrapper is a huge pain. When buying a computer, I look for vendors that explicitly support Linux for sound cards, graphics cards, printers and wireless setups.
Spyware and malware is a similar story to viruses really - Linux is an inherently more secure architecture that is patched faster too, so there is a reduced chance of such malware being able to severely damage your system.
Ubuntu. Linux for human beings.
If you are interested in trying Ubuntu or Linux in general, PM me and I will answer your questions and help you install it if you wish.
