title: Generics and the question mark
body: <p>I'd like to use a generic list, but the initialization method only returns a <code>List</code>.
  The following code works well:</p>
  
  <pre><code>List tmpColumnList = aMethodToInitializeTheColumnList();
  tmpColumnList.add("ANICELITTLECOLUMN");
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Java accuses that I'm using a raw type and I should paramerize the list.
  So I added the question mark parameterize this list.</p>
  
  <pre><code>List&lt;?&gt; tmpColumnList = aMethodToInitializeTheColumnList();
  tmpColumnList.add("ANICELITTLECOLUMN");
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Problem is: Now the <code>add(..)</code> method doesn't work anymore.<br>
  I cannot assure that the list only contains <code>String</code>s as <code>aMethodToInitializeTheColumnList()</code> is not implemented in <em>my</em> code.</p>
  
  <p>What is my mistake?</p>
  
  <p>Thanks!</p>