how hard and how much time will it take to self teach yourself

In my humble opinion, I don't think you'd need a full one. I think it is better to teach oneself linear algebra and calculus, and some differential geometry if you want to go into graphics. Plus a few programming languages. I think that you won't need more than C and C++ in order to learn all that you need in regards to computers. Python is good if you just want to get things done and don't mind losing some efficiency. Some knowledge of the architecture of computers is useful too, which requires a little knowledge on physics.

There is a lot of topics into compilers and artificial intelligence, which are really worthy of time, but I think it depends on what you want to do with computers. There are also more philosophical topics like the Turing machine.

>>9037224
Why don't you just go to school?

>>9037336
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piSLobJfZ3c

>>9037339
ted is bullshit
having said that, if you decide to learn by yourself and shoot yourself in the foot, it's going to take just as long as a normal cs degree would take

>>9037224
About 2-3 years for something like this, which models CMU's curriculum: https://functionalcs.github.io/curriculum/

Depending on how much prelim things you have to do, depending on motivation/if you do it 2hrs a day or so of course too. Most of the entries there are one semester courses.

It's definitely hard at first but after say, 3 freshman year courses you can start tearing through the curriculum as a lot of it will be review to you, and you're just better at solving problems with computation.

What's the least brainlet field of CS?

>>9037347
That ted talk is bullshit of course, but since there are no bachelor satisfying requirements as a self learner to take a ton of electives you could get through the core CS requirements in 2yrs. You can also watch lectures daily and don't have to take weeks and months off for summer/spring break.

The downside of a self learner is you have no TA access to help you or tell you when your logic is wrong, so you could easily coast through a class thinking you understand something and yet not understand a thing if you haven't done the psets/homework/sample midterms and finals (if they're available). I used stackexchange as my TA

>>9037369
Maybe but physically being in college gives you an incentive to finish, I wonder if someone can keep up that level of dedication for 3 or even 2 years

>>9037224
Not too hard if you're determined but if you follow a curriculum you're better off attending university and getting the degree.

If you just want a programming job, learn to code and build a portfolio.

>>9037380
I did, though it's true that unless people have skin in the game they are unlikely to finish something like a course. I only finished because I did it everyday, no matter what. Christmas day, I spent an hour reading about the non-deterministic time hierarchy theorem and Ladner's theorem after opening gifts with the gf and before heading over to the families place for dinner. I woke up so hungover I wanted to die once and still forced myself to do 1hr of a course. This sounds extreme but I was extremely lazy before so if I took a day off, i just justified more days off and went back to old habits.

>>9037368
Security

>>9037391
I would recommend not bothering with security, and instead going into verified software instead, such as this: https://deepspec.org/page/SF/

The reason is nobody actually cares about security, so won't pay you. Homakov details this here: https://medium.com/@homakov/why-it-sucks-to-be-a-security-researcher-8a1d17fbffe8

They want to push shit software and just pull a slot machine handle in order to cash out their stock options before the bubble in SV pops. Everybody else like NASA or DOD is doing verified software, and not involved in security at all they won't run software until it's guaranteed not to fail and that's where the future is. All those hacking conferences and shit are the same old thing, exploiting imperative programs is a waste of time (unless you're a criminal of course, then you make $, or intel agency) or unless you're a high profile contractor like Homakov and just are collecting a pay check and have totally become disillusioned with the whole BS 'security' (firefighting) industry.

>>9037388
damn way to go, seems like a feat of discipline