i think release note is the deployement document, which is
the guidelines those are given to the testing team to deploy
the s/w .

I agree with Pradyumna, but a slight modification for that. 
Release notes is given to client along with the build when 
it is ready for the deployment. Release notes consists of 
the deployment details and also the known limitations of 
the build, if there are any critical errors that are still 
not resolved and build is to be released, then those are 
also mentioned in the release notes. Hope this clarifies 
your query.

Kumar.rnv@gmail.com
Broadridge.

For a tester release note is a document in which the dev 
team has mentioned the specification of the release,
The known issues, the critetias, the limitations of that 
build.

and for client release note is the document in which all 
the specification of the application are mentioned.
the precondition, the test data type the show stoppers the 
known bugs are mentioned.

Release note is notyhing but a software release note 
deployed to the testing department whioch consists of .....
built path,
built information
version no 
release manager.
build information data
release date
MOdule name

Hi, Release note is nothing but a document which will be 
given From PM or dev team, when the Build is Ready in Stage 
( May be Ready for Testing or May be Ready for the client 
to do opperation).

The Release notes will be given to the Tester when the 
Biuld is Ready for Testing. The document consists of the 
Modules to be Tested and the Developer Names Assigned to 
the Modules, Refereance documents path, Build path and 
Credentials, Type of Testing to be Performed (if required) 
and Known Issues (if any).

The Release Notes will be given to the Client when the 
Build is ready for client to work on. It may not nessasary 
for Tester to know abt this document. It consists of the 
Modules, Refereance documents path, Build path and 
Credentials and Known Issues if any and may be consisting 
some other information also.