`.` only produces a reference if you explicitly reference the result. `a.b` is of type `B`, only `&a.b` is `&B` and `&mut a.b` is `&mut B`. This is unlike your

`.` only produces a reference if you explicitly reference the result. `a.b` is of type `B`, only `&a.b` is `&B` and `&mut a.b` is `&mut B`. This is unlike your proposal of `->` where `a->b` would be `*const B`.