ApisCP is source available, not open source

I love and use a couple different open source web hosting control panels, but I'm always on the lookout for something new. I headed over to AlternativeTo to see if there were any alternatives that I might not be familiar with. I came across ApisCP. I've heard of it before, but never tried it.

AlternativeTo lists ApisCP's license model as 'Paid Open Source.' I love commercial open source software! I love being able to pay a developer, agency, or company for their hard work. But I also love using software that respects my freedoms in using their software. Open source software does this.

So I headed over to their website. Sure enough, right on the main page, it claims that ApisCP is open source. It's even hyperlinked to the sources on Gitlab. This is normally a good sign, right?

But one should never see source and assume open source, Let's go ahead and look at the LICENSE.

Is this software be released under an open source license? Am I even allowed to post a screenshot of the license?

No. And no. But this issue was brought up in Gitlab. And they were mighty pedantic about the meaning of 'open source' and closed the ticket after a brief discussion.

Welp, that is that. They call themselves open source, even though they're source available. The term open source has existed for longer than their software has, but they're choosing to deter from the standard, and generally understood definition. Seems like a shady choice to me.

GTFO.

So while you head over AlternativeTo to find yourself some ApisCP Alternatives, might I suggest Virtualmin (especially if you need commercial support) or HestiaCP? I use both.

Update 20240724: Dan Brown created an issue regard to ApisCP in his project Open Source Confusion Cases!