Object oriented programming

[Bill Melchior, NCTR/FDA]

Last week there was a thread on OOP -- object oriented programming.

I like to try to keep up with what's going on even though I'm not a
programmer.  For folks like me, could someone who knows something
about the field make a stab at a brief, simple definition of 
"object oriented programming"?  I'd like to know what it is, not
what language (C++, ?) is used; or maybe it's defined by what it is NOT?
  
Thanks.
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The opinions stated are mine, not those of NCTR or its sponsoring organizations.
  
Bill Melchior                                ||   "You have lawyers the way
National Center for Toxicological Research   ||    other people have mice."
Jefferson, AR  72079                         ||
(501) 543-7206                               ||   -Kenneth Duncan, English
                                             ||    Health & Safety Executive,
WMELCHIOR at NTDOC.NCTR.FDA.GOV                 ||    to US regulators