For those who say that the seam doesn't matter: As long as your blocks don't have to be a certain size and as long as there are no points along the outer edges you may be correct. Many blocks don't matter.
Having participated in some swaps where size mattered the regular seam on some blocks did not give me the finished size. So I use the scant 1/4" to make the size work. Also when a block has HSTs, it may require less than a standard seam so you don't cut the points off.