The data flow library conflates pointers and their objects in some
places but not others. For example, a member function call `x.f()` will
cause flow from `x` of type `T` to `this` of type `T*` inside `f`. It
might be ideal to avoid that conflation, but that's not realistic
without using the IR.
We've had good experience in the taint tracking library with conflating
pointers and objects, and it improves results for field flow, so perhaps
it's time to try it out for all data flow.
The data flow library conflates pointers and objects enough for the
`definitionByReference` predicate to be too strict in some cases. It was
too permissive in other cases that are now (or will be) handled better
by field flow.
See also the change note entry.