Unable to find a definitive answer to the question of copying the blockchain to another computer, I asked Gavin via email:
In Bitcoin-Qt 0.8+, how can the blockchain be copied from one computer to another? Is it simply a matter of copying the blocks and chainstate directories?
His reply:
Yes
That is appropriately curt. You feel entitled to bother a lead developer for your own personal tech support? I have a feeling this is one reason why Satoshi was no longer entertained with the forum.