>>>I think the paradigm we may be looking for is that there are still unused pathways where the new mind will go... so, something like "installing the same app into a different OS still needs disk space".
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>>I see where you're going with this now. You want the upload to actually forge new neural paths. Does the uploading mind have that information, or does the upload software handle it?
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>Now we're writing software :). Depends on what you mean by "does" - does where, in our designs, or in popular lore (as set forth by all the SF authors so far)? Most authors came from the body/mind split POV, so they treated the new body just like a new car, admitting that it did change the attitude of their character (specially if it was of a different sex). Others thought it would be more complicated, notably Egan, also Charles Stross and, why not, Pratchett. Frank Herbert had a somewhat different idea with his ghola/clone story, that the transfer is only possible genetically, i.e. the incoming mind has to live in pretty much the same genome until it can awaken. OTOH, he had the Other Memories line, also genetic, but not doing a complete takeover, just a presence.
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I think you are underestimating HW - the whole body chemistry including different levels of hormones, grwoing or declining cycle, need for sleep, the speed of healing and so on. Just witness the effect one or two drinks have to those never usually drinking. So I lean more to Herbert - a geek given a bull body will grow bull tendencies and won't do as much geeky things as before.

Thomas