[Fri Jan 04 09:56:18 2008] [error] [client 127.0.0.1] PHP Parse error: parse error, unexpected $end in page.tpl.php

When I activate the nista theme I got this error in my apache log file.

[Fri Jan 04 06:48:50 2008] [notice] Apache/2.2.4 (Win32) PHP/5.2.0 configured -- resuming normal operations
[Fri Jan 04 06:48:50 2008] [notice] Server built: Jan  9 2007 23:17:20

...

[Fri Jan 04 09:56:18 2008] [error] [client 127.0.0.1] PHP Parse error:  parse error, unexpected $end in C:\\SST\\WEBSITE\\THIRD\\WWW\\test\\themes\\nista\\page.tpl.php on line 82, referer: http://localhost/test/admin/build/themes

As a result my website didn't render anymore, and I could not switch back to another theme.
(that's why I gave this critical priority, there are probably less experienced people in the world with the same problem, for whom Nista ruins their site and day).
It has probably something to do with an older PHP version or so...

I modified the page.tpl.php file and replaced all
"<? " by "<?php "
and
"<?=" by "<?php print "

This fix solved the issue.