Creating business cards with OpenOffice.org Writer

Exchanging business cards is a rudimentary form of networking (the people, not the server kind). However, to get the most out of the exchange, you need a card that attracts attention and reflects the image or values you want to project.

Unfortunately, OpenOffice.org Writer's tool for producing business cards does such a poor job of realizing both these goals that it is better avoided. However, if you know where to look, Writer also includes other tools that make designing business cards as easy as possible.

When you first click File -> New -> Business Cards, you may have a flash of hope that most of your work will be done for. However, click the Business Cards tab, and disappointment sets in. The five templates offered include only text and a few dingbats, and are as about exciting and distinguished as prime time television. Use any of them, and the image that you'll project will be unprofessional. Besides, unless you work for a company that's so big that you have no need to worry about image, like Macdonald's or IBM, you want your card to stand out -- and using a template from any off-the-net piece of software isn't going to help you do that. Even using the AutoText options isn't going to help.

http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/1000495