I can confirm it does work over ssh when you are disconnected. You just have to give it a bit of time and then reconnect with 'screen -r'. I also use it when I want to start compiling a big job and I am in between PCs...
Sounds like the perfect thing to do when performing a remote yum/apt/up2date update, to keep from hosing your RPM database when your stupid ISP drops your connection, or a backhoe driver in the middle of the country chops through the fiber you were routing through.
