How was <algorithm> preventing the introduction of a hash table? The hash function is a template parameter, predefined for standard types, no operator needed.
Josuttis claims that hash tables didn't make it in C++98 due to lack of time.
Josuttis claims that hash tables didn't make it in C++98 due to lack of time.
I think you may have the causality swapped here; I think <algorithm> looks the way it does because they limited themselves to things that could be easily expressed with operators --- for a long time, to the detriment of the language; see: STL associative containers, operator<, and the longstanding lack of a standard hash table.