I see you are receiving the 15 March build when using apt-get. Don't use apt-get, go directly to this web page http://trac.chirp.danplanet.com/chirp_daily/LATEST/ and download the tar.gz file. That will get you the 24 May build - or later if it gets updated before you get around to downloading. Run the chirpw file from the directory created when you unpack the daily build, not the one in /usr/bin.
The reason she's getting the older build is because she's running an old and unsupported version of Ubuntu (Oneiric 11.10). Using the PPA (via apt-get) _is_ the proper and preferred way for Ubuntu users to receive the builds.
If you still get a failure, at least you can say you've tried the latest build.
Nothing has changed in the FT-60 driver or supporting code in a very long time, so I do not expect any difference by upgrading to the latest version. I expect that the problem is, as others have noted, related to the cable and/or USB hardware being used here.