I used Spyder3 successfully in Ubuntu 11.04, buit it indeed isn working anymore in 11.10. I use the fine ArgyllCMS software. I both tried version 1.3.3 and 1.3.5 (64 bits and 32 bits on two different computers with 11.10).

Just for the record my experience. I issue the command 
$dispcal -yl -r -D5

And the output is as follows (i deleted duplicate lines and replaced them with "(...)"):
$./dispcal -yl -r -D5
Checking XRandR 1.2 VideoLUT access
XRandR 1.2 is faulty - falling back to older extensions
get_displays checking for Xinerama
Display 0 name = ':0.0'
usb_get_paths about to look through devices:
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x1d6b, PID 0x2
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x1d6b, PID 0x2
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x1d6b, PID 0x2
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x1d6b, PID 0x1
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x1d6b, PID 0x1
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x1d6b, PID 0x1
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x1d6b, PID 0x1
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x1d6b, PID 0x2
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x1d6b, PID 0x3
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x1058, PID 0x1003
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x424, PID 0x2504
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x4fc, PID 0x5d8
usb_check_and_add() called with VID 0x85c, PID 0x300
usb_check_and_add() found known instrument
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS0"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS31"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS30"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS29"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS28"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS27"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS26"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS25"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS24"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS23"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS22"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS21"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS20"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS19"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS18"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS17"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS16"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS15"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS14"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS13"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS12"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS11"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS10"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS9"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS8"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS7"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS6"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS5"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS4"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS3"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS2"
managed to open serial "/dev/ttyS1"
spyd2: About to init coms
spyd2: About to init USB
icoms: About to set usb port characteristics
icoms: About to open the USB port, tries 0
icoms: USB port needs opening
icoms: About to open USB port 'usb:/bus1/dev44/ (Datacolor Spyder3)'
open() of USB port 'usb:/bus1/dev44/ (Datacolor Spyder3)' suceeded
Number of configurations = 1
icoms: USB port is now open
icoms: Clearing any USB errors
icoms: usb port characteristics set ok
spyd2: init coms has suceeded
spyd2: About to init instrument
icoms: About to return usb read 0 bytes, ICOM err 0x100
(...)
icoms: About to return usb read 0 bytes, ICOM err 0x100
spyd2: about to read all the EEProm values

spyd2: Read EEProm addr 5, bytes 2

spyd2: Read bytes retry with ICOM err 0x200
(...)
spyd2: Read bytes retry with ICOM err 0x200
init_inst returned 'Communications failure' (Communications failure)
new_disprd failed because init_inst failed
icoms: delete called
icoms: closing port
usb_close_port() called
usb port has been released and closed
dispcal: Error - new_disprd() failed with 'Instrument Access Failed'