diff --git a/app-proto/src/assembly.rs b/app-proto/src/assembly.rs
index 343cef8..7841922 100644
--- a/app-proto/src/assembly.rs
+++ b/app-proto/src/assembly.rs
@@ -97,17 +97,9 @@ pub trait Element: ProblemPoser + DisplayItem {
     fn set_column_index(&self, index: usize);
 }
 
-// the `Element` trait needs to be dyn-compatible, so its method signatures can
-// only use `Self` in the type of the receiver. that means `Element` can't
-// implement `PartialEq`. if you need partial equivalence for `Element` trait
-// objects, use this wrapper
-#[derive(Clone)]
-pub struct ElementRc(pub Rc<dyn Element>);
-
-impl PartialEq for ElementRc {
-    fn eq(&self, ElementRc(other): &Self) -> bool {
-        let ElementRc(rc) = self;
-        Rc::ptr_eq(rc, &other)
+impl PartialEq for dyn Element {
+    fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+        self.serial() == other.serial()
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/app-proto/src/outline.rs b/app-proto/src/outline.rs
index 97d6ac2..7e7048d 100644
--- a/app-proto/src/outline.rs
+++ b/app-proto/src/outline.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ use crate::{
     assembly::{
         Element,
         ElementKey,
-        ElementRc,
         HalfCurvatureRegulator,
         InversiveDistanceRegulator,
         Regulator,
@@ -254,7 +253,6 @@ pub fn Outline() -> View {
             .clone()
             .into_iter()
             .sorted_by_key(|(_, elt)| elt.id().clone())
-            .map(|(key, elt)| (key, ElementRc(elt)))
             .collect()
     );
     
@@ -268,10 +266,10 @@ pub fn Outline() -> View {
         ) {
             Keyed(
                 list=element_list,
-                view=|(key, ElementRc(elt))| view! {
+                view=|(key, elt)| view! {
                     ElementOutlineItem(key=key, element=elt)
                 },
-                key=|(_, ElementRc(elt))| elt.serial()
+                key=|(_, elt)| elt.serial()
             )
         }
     }