`url` is always there for people wanting paths- I think the dots make sense for route paths. They clarify routing to a state instead of a path. For instance, if instead of dots we used slashes:

```
{{#link-to "user.tickets" user}}Tickets{{/link-to}}
becomes
{{#link-to "user/tickets" user}}Tickets{{/link-to}}
```

Even though both end up at the URL of `/user/42/tickets`. The dot in the first makes clear the distinction, the slash in the latter sets a false expectation that the URL would be `/user/tickets`.

2 cents.