Think about it this way...

Linkers weren't needed previously because system calls and functions from included files took care of a lot. Now functions are often long and numerous, making things complicated to maintain unless split up. Of course, split up, the number of files needed to be included might be rather large. This makes for a tedious programming experience. Libraries are the solution to the last issue. Linking libraries allows you to include several files without actually specifying that you include them in the ASM file. Header files in C are simply a way for the compiler to understand what is valid in your code. The assembler doesn't care if you don't include <stdio.h> and you call printf. The linking stage is the stage that requires you to specify where printf is found.

As for the comparison, I can agree with the way you think. The only reason I like FB is because I can (basically) write C programs in a simpler dialect. I just wish I could control it as much as I can control gcc. :-P