In other words, if a friend sends me some bytes to a new address, I don't have to link that address or anything, I'll just receive 0.2 bytes per byte tonight, right?
No.
Your GByte address needs to be linked to a bitcoin address (even if empty). If you haven't moved your GByte, then you're already linked since you got them from a prior distrobution. If in question, just check the transition site to see if your byteball is linked.
Now, if a friend sends to a NEW byteball receiving, then you must link to a bitcoin address (even if the btc addy is empty). That's how it's been explained to me several times, and linking only takes a minute, so not going to risk not getting a bonus of 20%
I received the 20% byte bonus to an unlinked byteball address.
seems you don't need to link them!
I think you only need to link of you want to receive black bytes as well.