1. A method for electronically processing an electronic document image without first decoding the electronic document image, comprising: segmenting the document image into word image units without decoding the document image; deriving a word shape representation for each of a plurality of said word image units without decoding any characters making up the plurality of word image units, thereby deriving a plurality of said word shape representations; comparing said word shape representations to at least one other word shape representation to identify significant word image units from amongst said plurality of word image units; and creating an abbreviated document image that is smaller than the electronic document image based on said identified significant word image units, said abbreviated document image including a plurality of said identified significant word image units.