Some people like bots to initiate conversation and suggest things, but others (like me) want an obedient program to respond with helpful things when requested.

Some people like bots to initiate conversation and suggest things, but others (like me) want an obedient program to respond with helpful things when requested. To answer your question, I think making the bot get posts which are already popular (more than 10 points) will prevent this, as posts with more points are less likely to be removed. Bots aren't for everyone, as the HN community's attention on this post demonstrates. But don't let that deter you a good bot can be a useful tool for a lot of people.