Search engines rank you higher, so by increasing links to your site you actually increase your search engine traffic too. Therefore, links build your traffic through the two most popular methods web surfers use. Links to and from just any old sites are chaotic, by both surfers and search engines. Sites that link should be relevant. If you are selling soup, you don't need visitors who want to buy nuts.
Search engines love relevant links but regard irrelevant links as negative.
Irrelevant links do not help your standing with them and can actually hurt you. That is, people who are thinking of changing to a computer career. I also have pages of links for further information on info tech subjects. I also have links to programs and pages that can benefit actual techies. If you go here, you will find a listing of my current articles for not yet techies.