Why are the operations.hpp non-member functions so low-level?
To provide a toolkit from which higher-level functionality can be created. An extended attempt to add convenience functions on top of, or as a replacement for, the low-level functionality failed because there is no widely acceptable set of simple semantics for most convenience functions considered. Attempts to provide alternate semantics via either run-time options or compile-time polices became overly complicated in relation to the value delivered, or became contentious. OTOH, the specific functionality needed for several trial applications was very easy for the user to construct from the lower-level toolkit functions. See Failed Attempts.
