First PC build [UPDATED]

Hey guys, been lurking in the community for a while but just joined the forums. I'm gonna be building a new pc for the first time and just wanted to get some input. The only thing thats freaking me out is reliability and compatibility.
Here's what i came up with so far.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/GQCvkL
Don't really need harddrives or opticals since i have those already. Gonna get a graphics card later on, but wanna keep the initial system around $600-$700. Wasnt sure about the CPU cooler. I only use linux so gonna spend a couple weeks researching which ones have drivers and stuff. Mainly use for gaming/productivity/general computing. Nothing like video editing or anything like that.
Any info would be awesome, glad to be finally ditching my xbox 360, i swear i've gone through like 5 of these things already. Red ring of death and all.

EDIT: Oh yeah, i wont be doing much overclocking yet. And wasnt sure if i should get amd or intel. i know amd is cheaper and seems better for gaming. and intel is better for productivity i guess. please correct me if im wrong.

EDIT: New selection
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/Ffs7qs

CPU cooler wise, Cryorig R1 Ultimate (Check RAM clearance) or Universal (supposedly almost as good as a D15, will be able to give credit to this cooler in a week or two when mine arrives) or Noctua NH-D15 if you can fit it in a budget for air are fantastic options.
If you're not overclocking, and just want silence (presumably you do considering the R5), a cheaper noctua cooler will do the job.

You can't at all, ever, unless it's a K series chip with intel.
If you don't get a K series, you're committing to never overclocking (at least without getting a different chip).

A quad core should do you fine as long as you're not video editing (as you said you're not), or rendering 3D models in something like blender.

I see a red-black theme coming on. Also, same motherboard. high five.
I'm seeing it crop up everywhere, from like a freaking dozen different people now. Why? I don't understand. Did I set a trend?

Awesome, thanks man. I will have to look up the ram clearance, cause im super paranoid. I picked the MB cause it seemed to have the best ratings and least problems. The R5 looks awesome, i dont know why, i just love the simple look and how much you can customize. How do you like the msi z97?

It looks nice, I haven't tried overclocking on it yet but it has good ratings so presumably it'll be fine (will be doing, hence the R1 universal).

The BIOS is a bit confusing to begin with but it'll all make sense.

One of the reasons I got it was for SLI and Crossfire support - I'd like the capability to save some money further down the road, potentially, if I wanted to go SLI or Crossfire because I wouldn't have to get a new board.

The heatsinks are dragon shapes. I didn't realize this until I'd owned the thing for like 3 months. facepalm

i know, i didnt even notice that they were shaped that way until after i decided on it. now i'm like shit, everyones gonna think i got it just for that. oh well, atleast someone else thinks its a good board.

Yeah, I didn't realize either. You don't from the top.