Actually, OpenOffice.org is sometimes using Links, I'm not an expert but I used it in the past.
Try out with OpenOffice.org :
- Create a document
- Insert > Picture > From File
- in the dialog, select an image and tick "Link", then  Open
A dialogpops-up asking you If you are sure you want to link it. See capture attached to this email. You can choose to ask again when you will be linking your next image or you can say "I know what I am doing" by ticking something.
Then you can edit these Links with Edit > Links. This opens a window that inspired me for the "Image Links Manager" proposal.

So this leads us to say that we are not the only one having issues for an understandable-by-everyone linking strategy.