One thing which it fails to state is that this was a major event for casual / hobbyist chess players. I don't have any statistics but every friend of mine who p

One thing which it fails to state is that this was a major event for casual / hobbyist chess players. I don't have any statistics but every friend of mine who played chess was taking part in this. So I suspect that the majority of those who voted moves regularly was a majority of people who understood the game and could follow the logic. I don't think it can be overstated the sort of impact recommended moves had. This was largely a game between each GM and Kasparov with people voting on who to follow. As I said in another comment, had there been no recommendations, the game would have probably been much shorter and much more juvenile in complexity.